Night Warriors
by Celtic Aurora
Summary: Nearly a year after Anna's death, Van Helsing returns to Transylvania with Catherine, his mysterious new partner. But she's got secrets...what could she possibly be hiding? VHxOC, OCxOC C'est finale!
1. A Promise Made

_**A/N: **Yes, another fanfic! Another Van Helsing fanfic, too! This was originally on my Quizilla account, but at the request of my good friend **Dr. Lust, **I decided to post it up here, too! Chapters should come out relatively fast, seeing as I already has the first ten chapters done! _

_**Disclaimer: **Don't own Van Helsing. That right belongs to Stephan Sommers. God, I wish I was him, somedays...yeah, I only own my own characters and plot._

Chapter One: A Promise Made

_Transylvania, 1881_

The moon wasn't out that night, so the dark forest was bathed in deep shadows. He knew tonight was the night that the vampires and the werewolves would be out the most tonight, but he didn't care.

This was what he was born to do.

He slipped some silver bullets into his revolver. His thick boots snapped some of the smaller twigs on the ground as he stepped on them. He heard similar cracks from behind, and he knew she was keeping up.

"Are you ready?" he asked, his voice low and deep.

"Always ready, Gabriel, always ready," she said. Like his voice, hers carried an English-sounding accent, though hers was a higher pitch.

A smile pulled at the corner of Gabriel's lips. It was good to have a partner like her. But she was more than just a partner, so much more...

A sudden flash of lightning lit up the sky. Its light illuminated the two, bringing their features to light for the first time.

Gabriel was dressed in black from head to toe, from his sweater to his boots. Messy, shoulder-length dark-brown hair framed his face, which was that of a man in his prime, about late twenties or early thirties. Weapons such as a revolver, several daggers, and wooden stakes were holstered or sheathed in various places. His brown eyes scanned the forest, searching for the threats he knew lay within.

His partner, a girl, appeared a little younger, maybe mid-twenties or so. Her messy brown hair was pulled away from her face, while her dark-blue eyes searched the forest as well. She too was dressed all in black, from the corset over her sweater to her boots. A quiver full of arrows was slung over her shoulders, she was carrying a bow, and she was also armed with a revolver and several daggers.

Without warning, three werewolves burst through the bushes. Gabriel drew his revolver and began firing, while she took aim and fired with her bow and arrows. Two bullets and a silver-tipped arrow hit one werewolf, but it didn't slow it down. Instead, it tackled her to the ground, snarling and growling. A few seconds later, it gave a high-pitched whine and collapsed on top of her. She pushed it off, and Gabriel could see what had killed it: a single silver-tipped arrow, stuck right in its heart.

"Good work, Kitty," he said.

They made quick work of the other two werewolves, which left them standing together in silence. They both could sense something...some sort of unseen presence...but they just couldn't tell what it was...

A large, fearsome, hell-bat-like creature suddenly appeared from out of nowhere. It gave a loud screech, then, it flew towards Gabriel and began to attack him. Its long, sharp talons slashed viciously at his clothes and any exposed skin.

"NOOO!!!" she screamed. She hurried forward, a dagger in hand, and stuck it in the creature's back, right between the wings. The creature dropped Gabriel and went for her instead, delivering several nasty-looking scratches to her face and arms. She fought back the best she could, stabbing him with her daggers as often as she could.

At long last, the creature ceased its attacks. He stepped back, a bored look on his distorted, horror-creature-like face, then spread his enormous wings and took to the sky. She dropped her dagger and hurried over to Gabriel.

He wasn't looking so good. His clothes were ripped and torn, and blood was gushing from all the gashes that creature had left in his skin. Beneath all the blood, his face was pale.

"Kitty..." he whispered, using the pet-name he'd given her when they were children. "Please...help me...I...don't wish...to die..."

"You won't, Gabriel..." she whispered back, trying to keep from crying. "I won't let you."

He slipped into unconsciousness then, and she could feel panic setting in. He could survive his injuries, but only if he received prompt medical attention...which would be hard to come by in a Transylvanian forest.

But she knew of one place she could take him.

---

_A Day Later_

_Vatican City, Rome_

A carriage sped into the Vatican square. It stopped, and she emerged from inside, carrying Gabriel on her back as if he was a small child. She stopped long enough to fish out some money and pay the driver for his troubles, then proceeded to the steps of the largest building, St. Peter's Basilica. Despite its ancient and utterly holy appearance, she knew what lay beneath the church...

She carried him to the stairs and laid him there. He was still unconscious, but every so often, he would move a little, or even give a small groan. She kneeled next to him.

"I'm leaving you here," she whispered. "I'll be back soon. Do what they tell you...they know best."

She straightened up, then, when she caught a glimpse of movement within the church, she ran off into the dark night. Had she been looking, she would have seen the dark outline of a man, crouching on the ledge of one of the old buildings, his deep blue eyes fixed on Gabriel...

---

He woke up in a dark room, lit by a single oil lamp. He could see someone in the room with him, but...who _was_ he?

The person turned around, and came closer. He was an older man in a red robe and a hat. A churchman.

_A cardinal_, he thought.

"Where...where..?" he choked. It hurt for him to talk. Everything hurt...

"You are safe," the cardinal said. He had a strange, unplaceable accent. It almost sounded a little French. "You are the headquarters of the Knights of the Holy Order. It's good to see you conscious...we all thought you were dead, you've been unconscious so long."

He took a breath, then continued talking. "My name is Cardinal Jinette. Do you...do you have a name?"

_A name?_ He thought. _Yes...I have one of those...don't I?_

He searched his brain, looking for his name. He knew it...it was practically on the tip of his tongue...but...

He couldn't remember it.

He couldn't remember _anything_

_It's...gone_, he thought. _Everything's just...gone..._

But wait! There was something in there...a name...his name. It was only a surname, but it sounded right. It was all he had to go on...

"My name is..." he said."My name is...Van Helsing."

_**A/N: **So...you love it? You hate it? Let me know! _

_PS: Night Warriors is still also located on my Quizilla account, if you want to see it with its pretty background and the pictures and the banners done by my lovely friend Catty...there's a link on my homepage to Quizilla if you want to see all that or if you just want to read ahead... Reviews are welcomed, as it concrit! _


	2. Old Dreams, New Assignments

_**A/N: **Hello, everyone who's reading this! Um...I'd like to thank my faithful friend and loving reviewer, **Dr. Lust, **for her review of the story! Hope you guys like so far! Sorry about how short these chapters are; they'll get longer, I promise. They're just going to be short in the beginning..._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own Van Helsing, people! The movie or the man! As always, I only own my own characters and plot, yada yada..._

------------

Chapter Two: Old Dreams, New Assignments

_The forest was dark. The full moon shone brightly overhead. And there he was, in the middle o__f the forest, waiting..._

_Then, he heard it...the crunching of twigs. Someone was approaching. He fingered the hilt of his sword, prepared to draw it if__ necessary._

_A lone figure step__ped into the clearing. Her pale-__ish skin glowed under the moon, and her hair shone. Her eyes were mysterious and enchanting, practically dancing with life. She wore a beautiful black dress that exposed her slender shoulders. She held out her hand...her eyes seemed to call to him, begging him to come wh__ile not speaking a word._

_She smiled, and he began to walk towards her. It was if she had him under a spell..._

Van Helsing sat straight up in his bed. His tiny cell of a room was dark. Outside, a clock chimed out that it was six A.M.

This was a familiar dream for him. And yet...he had no idea who the mysterious woman was. All he knew was that every time he tried approaching her, he would wake up...and the small, triangle-shaped scars on his back always hurt when he woke up from that dream.

"First decent night of sleep in no-one-knows-how-many-days and I have that dream," he muttered to nobody. He sighed, then laid back down and stared at the ceiling.

_At least it wasn't that dream about Anna,_ he thought miserably to himself. It had been nearly seven months since Anna's death, but Van Helsing still thought about her every day. And, in his dreams, all he ever saw was her last moments before her death.

Someone knocked on the door. Van Helsing stood up, walked over, and opened the door to find an unfamiliar friar outside his door.

"Monsieur Van Helsing?" the friar asked, his voice carrying a thick French accent. "Cardinal Jinette...he wishes to see you."

Van Helsing sighed on the inside. What could Jinette possibly want now? Van Helsing had just gotten back from his last assignment less than nine hours ago.

"I'll be there in a little while," he said.

"He wants to see you now," the friar responded.

---

As always, Cardinal Jinette was in his little office, behind his desk. The door had been left open, so Van Helsing saw no need to knock. Cardinal Jinette looked up as Van Helsing entered the room.

"It is about time," he commented rudely, laying his pen down.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting," Van Helsing shot back sarcastically.

"Anyways...we have another assignment for you."

"Already?" Van Helsing asked in a mix of surprise and a little frustration. "I just returned from an assignment."

Cardinal Jinette either didn't notice that fact, or he didn't care, for he continued to speak, "It is a simple assignment, really...a small village in South France has been terrorized by a vampire for nearly two months. Only one vampire...can you handle it?"

Van Helsing gave a grunt. This was just like Jinette, sending him to take care of creatures, claiming he was "answering God's call for his life". All he was really doing was collecting the trash of the world.

However, Jinette took this grunt as a yes. "Very good, then. Carl should be ready with your equipment."

Van Helsing took that as his dismissal, and left Cardinal Jinette's office.

---

As always, Carl was down in his little corner in the armory. And, as always, he was tinkering with something when Van Helsing found him.

"Ah, good morning Van Helsing!" Carl squeaked cheerfully.

"I fail to see what's so good about it," Van Helsing replied less-than-cheerfully. "But good morning to you too, Carl."

"Another assignment?" Carl asked. A glare from Van Helsing was all he got for a response.

"Another vampire?" This time, Carl actually got a curt nod from the sullen monster-hunter. He grabbed a bag and began to load it full of garlic, holy water, crucifixes, and stakes.

A smile came from Van Helsing. "No need to pack half the armory, Carl...it's only one vampire."

"Oh," Carl said sheepishly as he began to unload some of the things from the bag. "Do you still have your crossbow?"

Van Helsing nodded, holding it up for Carl to see. Carl nodded, then continued to pack. Within minutes, he was done, and he slung the bag over his shoulder.

"Sorry, Carl," Van Helsing said. "I'm going alone this time."

With an embarrassed grin, Carl handed the bag to Van Helsing. They said their good-byes, then Van Helsing shouldered his crossbow and left the armory through the secret staircase.

----------

**_A/N:_ **_Well...hope you liked! And now, ladies and gentlemen, I give to you...Van Helsing, the world's trash collecter!_

Van Helsing:_(walks in) _God, I **hate** my job!

_How did you get in here?_

Van Helsing_:(points down stairs_) You left the front door open...

_(smacks head) Right, I got to stop doing that! Well...it appears I have a new muse! And his name is Gabriel Van Helsing, everyone! (tackles Van Helsing and hugs him)_

Van Helsing_:(slightly scared and very confused_) Um...thank you?


	3. Lady in the Dusk

_**A/N: **Hello again! Well, here's the next chapter or Night Warriors. Um...I originally dedicated this chapter to my friend Catty, who was(and still is) responsible for the a) story title, b) chapter title, and c) the banners for this story(the story with banners and backgrounds can only be found on my Quizilla account, by the way). So, once again, I dedicate this to her! I also want to thank my best friend and reviewer **Dr. Lust **for her support and reviews!_

_**Disclaimer: **While Gabriel Van Helsing may have come in through my front door and is now playing the role of my muse, I still don't own him...or anyone/anything else from Van Helsing..._

Chapter Three: Lady in the Dusk

Turns out, the village being terrorized by the vampire was a small village on a cliff beside the sea in South France. The sky overhead was a dark grey, and the streets were empty.

Van Helsing pulled his hat low over his face. Even if the streets were completely empty, he still didn't want to risk anyone recognizing him. The French police still hadn't quite forgiven him for the Hyde incident at Notre Dame...

A scream came from near the cliffs. Van Helsing perked his head up, then turned and immediately headed for the cliffs. Only a few minutes later, he found the source of the scream: a now-dead young woman lying at the feet of a vampire.

The vampire looked up at Van Helsing and smirked. "And who might you be? The main course?"

"No," Van Helsing said. "I was sent by the Knights of the Holy Order-"

The vampire's eyes flashed ice-blue. "Them! What do those busybodies want now?"

_Three guesses..._Van Helsing thought. But he held his tongue. The last thing he wanted to do was enrage the vampire.

"They want you to stop terrorizing the village," Van Helsing said, stating the obvious. "They also hope you will come without a struggle, but-"

The vampire lunged forward and backhanded Van Helsing. He flew ten feet, then skidded at least another five. He came to a stop, then, as calm as if he _wasn't_ facing possible death, he wiped a small bit of blood from his mouth.

"I'll take that as a no..." he muttered quietly.

That was when the fight began. The vampire tackled Van Helsing, knocking his revolver out of his grip. However, he still had the bag slung over his shoulder...

He reached into the bag and pulled out the first thing he touched: a crucifix. He pushed the vampire's fangs away from his neck, then pressed the crucifix into the side of the vampire's face.

There was a loud sizzling, and the vampire gave a shriek of agony. Van Helsing shoved the vampire off of him, then scrambled to get his revolver. Meanwhile, the vampire was rolling around on the ground, clutching his face and screaming. After a minute, he lowered his hands to reveal a huge cross-shaped burn on his cheek. The areas the crucifix had touched were now burned black and past the point of healing. And the vampire looked angry beyond belief.

Now, Van Helsing was a little nervous. He had faced angry vampires before...a whole ballroom of them. And he'd even faced an angry Dracula before! But then, he'd been a werewolf, had the power of the werewolf venom on his side. Now, he was only a well-armed mortal man...

"You're MINE!!!" the vampire screamed, lunging again. But this time, Van Helsing was ready. The vampire expected him to use his revolver, but he knew better. Instead, he grabbed his crossbow and fired a rapid stream of arrows at the oncoming vampire.

But the vampire had other tricks up his sleeve, too. He vanished from Van Helsing's sight, but then, two seconds later, someone tackled him from behind. He could smell the scent of rotting flesh and could feel the vampire's icy breath on his neck.

"_This_ should convince those busybodies at the Order to mind their own business!" the vampire hissed as threw back his head, preparing to sink his teeth into Van Helsing's throat...

At the last second, Van Helsing twisted aside, so the vampire's fangs sunk deeply into the dirt instead of into his throat. Van Helsing shoved himself out from under the vampire, then dug into his bag. While the vampire struggled to tug his jaws from the ground, Van Helsing pulled two things from his bag: a silver stake and a bottle of holy water.

"And now for the grand finale..." he muttered, ripping the stopper out of the bottle of holy water. He dipped the tip of the stake into the bottle, and then, as the vampire charged towards him, he drove the stake straight through the vampire's heart.

The vampire's already-pale face became even paler, and he stumbled away from Van Helsing, clutching the stake in his chest. Black blood poured from the wound, and the vampire's eyes grew wide. He tried to choke out a word or two, but instead, he stumbled even further backwards and stumbled right over the edge of the cliff.

Van Helsing crossed himself and sighed. Cardinal Jinette had only told him to _apprehend_ the vampire...he never actually said anything about _killing_ the vampire. He was going to be very angry with Van Helsing.

"This is going to be another Hyde incident all over again..." he murmured as he packed a few things back in his bag.

Suddenly, there came a slow, steady clapping from the woods nearby. He snapped his head up, looking around...And that's when a girl suddenly appeared from the woods.

"Very well done, Gabriel," she said with a voice that carried a beautiful English accent, much like his. "Very well done..."

She was clapping her hands in a slow, steady manner, and her deep blue eyes were locked onto his. Her dark-brown hair fell over her shoulders like a waterfall, and she was wearing a black dress that was cut to expose her slender shoulders.

She was beautiful.

She was mysterious.

_She looks so familiar,_ Van Helsing thought to himself. And that's when it dawned on him.

She was the girl from his dreams.

------

_Hmm...well, isn't that interesting? This mysterious girl from his dreams is, apparently, real. _

Van Helsing: Care to explain how?

_Not right now...(puts feet up on table and puts hands behind head) Maybe next time..._

Van Helsing: _(sits down) _Darn...I was kind of hoping you'd tell me.

_Nope_

Van Helsing: But I'm your muse, aren't I?

_Yes. But I'm not telling you. You'll have to wait and find out like the rest of the good readers, now won't you? Well...hope you enjoyed! If you did, a review would be nice, you know..._


	4. Surprise!

_**A/N: **I'm ba-ack! Um..yeah, I'm not getting a lot of reviewers for this one, but I still have my luffly friend **Dr. Lust **to review! And I'm sure people are reading it...but if you want to review, please do! PS: Any flames at all will be used to make s'mores to share with my reviewers and my muse, Gabriel Van Helsing!_

_**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Van Helsing...um...I own the mysterious woman! And my own plot! I own my own plot! What do you think about that?!_

Chapter Four: Surprise!

_It can't be..._ Van Helsing told himself as he stared at the girl. _Sh__e can't be...real..?_

She looked real enough, though. She stopped clapping and took a few slow steps forward. However, she stopped about ten feet from Van Helsing and frowned.

It was only then he realized he was covered in dirt, mud, and vampire blood. He also realized he probably smelled like a vampire...that or garlic...

"Nearly eight years, Gabriel," she said, a grin spreading across her face. "And you haven't changed a bit..."

Van Helsing was confused. Who was she? And why was she calling him Gabriel? The only other person who ever called him Gabriel was...Dracula. Was she somehow connected to the late Count Dracula?

"I apologize, but...I don't think we've met before," Van Helsing said in a polite yet confused way. "Do...do I know you?"

Her smile instantly vanished. Now it was her turn to look confused. She turned away and began muttering to herself too softly for him to hear.

"So..._have_ we met before?"

The girl glanced back over her shoulder at Van Helsing. Then, in the blink of an eye, she had completely vanished. Van Helsing stared around, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Wait! Come back! I-" he called out to the empty air before realizing she had vanished without a trace. He sighed...had she really even been there?

Something on the ground caught his eye. He bent down, plucked it out of the dirt, and held it up to examine it. It turned out to be a pendant...a silver circle of metal, engraved with an insignia, on a black cord. Van Helsing rubbed a small bit of dirt off of it, then brought it closer to see the insignia.

To his surprise, the insignia was a dragon. The same dragon as the one that was on the ring on his right hand. The ring that Dracula claimed belonged to him...

"All right, this is starting to get a little strange..." he muttered to no one in particular. He slipped the pendant into one of his trench coat pockets, then turned back towards town to get his horse and return to Rome.

---

_A Day Later_

Van Helsing rode into Vatican City just as the sun was rising. He came to a stop right in front of the stairs to St Peter's Basilica, the same stairs he been left on, unconscious, broken, and half-dead, about eight years ago.

He noticed another stallion tied to a post near his own stallion. Unlike his, however, this stallion had a younger, more powerful look to it. Van Helsing wondered who it belonged to as he entered the church and made his way to the confessional in the back. He entered the confessional, shutting the door behind him, kneeled, crossed himself, and said the usual "bless me Father for I have sinned", waiting for Jinette's reprimand.

"We all know you have sinned," Jinette said as he snapped the partition door open.

"And I have yet to figure out why you make a big deal out of it..." Van Helsing muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing..."

"Did you bring him back?" Jinette asked. Van Helsing simply cocked an eyebrow at him. Jinette sighed and shook his head. "I don't even know why I ask..."

"I did the best I could," Van Helsing said through clenched teeth. These ungrateful church people-in fact, all the ungrateful people in general-were taking a toll on his nerves. "But he refused to come quietly..."

The hidden door in the back of the confessional slid open, and Van Helsing followed Cardinal Jinette down the stairs. The irate cardinal launched into his usual lecture on how this was "how Van Helsing was answering God's call, how this would help him make up for past sins, but if he kept killing everything they sent him after, it wouldn't really help". Van Helsing rolled his eyes but he held his tongue. Jinette was already annoyed enough.

They came to a stop at a table, and Jinette turned to face him. "We have another...rather important assignment for you."

Behind him, the projector came to life, flashing an image of an unknown man. He had dark, tangled hair, a lanky but muscular body, and a fierce gleam in his eyes.

"Six months ago," Jinette said. "This man, known only as 'Sirius', turned up in a small Transylvanian town. He only stayed for a night, but come morning, five villagers had been brutally slaughtered."

_Interesting first impression,_ Van Helsing thought to himself. But this man sounded like a run-of-the-mill murderer, nothing special, really...

"I know he sounds quite ordinary," Cardinal Jinette commented. "However, he was later seen, by an unknown villager, transforming into a werewolf. We believe him to be Sirius de Autechane, the long-lost leader of a vicious pack of werewolves. The existence of him and his pack could put all of Transylvania in danger!"

Van Helsing nodded, but inside, he was cringing. He wasn't exactly fond of werewolves, and the whole Dracula affair hadn't done anything to change his mind.

Cardinal Jinette led Van Helsing over to another part of the room, up to two people who were talking. One was simply an assistant of the Order, but the other person looked familiar, yet unfamiliar, at the same time. The person, a girl, had long, dark-brown hair cascading down to her shoulder blades and was dressed in a black riding outfit. A revolver was holstered at her waist. Jinette tapped her on the shoulder, and she whirled to face him. Her deep blue eyes lit up when she saw him.

"Ah, Cardinal Jinette!" she said. As she spoke, Van Helsing recognized her...she was the girl from the cliffs! And the girl from his dreams! She turned to him and smiled. "Ah...hello, Mr. Van Helsing..."

He didn't know what to say to her, so he just looked over at Jinette questioningly.

"Van Helsing," he said. "I'd like to introduce you to your new partner."

-------

_Well, there! Now you know what's up with the mysterious woman...or, as you can call her, Catherine. Now, while you were all pondering this, so was my lovely muse, Van Helsing...**all...night...long. **And by pondering, I mean **bugging me**. Finally, I gave him my iPod to shut him up...he really seems to like it..._

Van Helsing: _(standing over authoress with magenta iPod Nano in hand and earbuds in ears) _You know, this band is pretty good. This woman's voice is exquisite...

_What are you listening to..? (looks at iPod screen) Evanescence, eh? I had a feeling you might like them...and the songs on the CDs aren't the only good ones! They've got a few good unreleased songs...but yes, Amy Lee has an amazing voice, doesn't she?_

Catherine: _(comes up stairs) Who's she?_

_What the-? How did get in? Did...did I leave the front door open again?_

Catherine: Yes. You did.

_Ack! Mom's gonna kill me if I don't kick that habit! Well...you know, two's company...three's a party! So...looks like I have another muse...or maybe just another pop-up-to-drive-me-crazy person like Van Helsing..._

Van Helsing: _(flipping through songs on iPod) _I heard that, you know...

_(slaps head with palm) Anyways...thanks for reading! Reviews, please, if you'd be so kind!_


	5. Transylvania, the Sequel

_**A/N: **Well...lookie! Two chapters in one day! Seeing as it was Friday, the authoress was feeling generous and decided to give you all two chapters! As always, thanks to **Dr. Lust, **who is probably the greatest reviewer I have! Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention something: Sirius's last name, Autechane, is pronounced like Aw-te-chan-knee. It's French...I think. I wouldn't know because I just completely made it up when I originally wrote this!_

_**Disclaimer: **Sorry guys...I still don't own Van Helsing. Probably never will, either. But if Stephan Sommers ever decides to sell the rights, I'll be first in line!_

Chapter Five: Transylvania, the Sequel

For several seconds, Van Helsing was struck dumb. Finally, he managed to form a halfway decent sentence. "My new...partner? I'm sorry, Your Eminence, but there must be some sort of mistake. _I_ work alone."

Jinette shook his head. "There is no mistake...this is your new partner. Her name is-"

"My dear cardinal," she interrupted. "Forgive me, but I do believe I'm more than capable of introducing myself to Mr. Van Helsing..."

She smiled politely at him. "My name is Catherine. Just Catherine."

Van Helsing, still unsure of what to say, continued to stare at Catherine in confusion until Jinette gave him a little push towards the armory. "Carl will be prepared with your equipment. Good luck to you both."

---

"Ah, there you are, Van Helsing!" Carl greeted as soon as he saw the Vatican's special agent. "So...how was the assignment?"

Van Helsing gave a grunt, and Carl smirked. "Oh. That well, huh?" He then spotted Catherine, and his eyes grew huge as he stared at her. "And who is she?" he asked in awe.

"Carl, this is my...partner, Catherine." The word "partner" felt strange on his tongue; usually, there was no one for him to call "partner". Yet another downside to being the most wanted man in Europe.

"Pleasant to meet you, Carl," Catherine said politely.

"Catherine..." Carl murmured in awe, continuing to stare. It was almost as if this was his first time seeing a woman. Van Helsing gave the stunned friar a small nudge with his elbow, and Carl instantly snapped out of it. "Ah, yes...um, you came for equipment, right?"

Catherine nodded, and Carl grabbed a bag from the nearby table. "Cardinal Jinette filled me in a little...he said it's a werewolf...we're going to need lots of silver..."

Carl began packing the bag full of silver stakes and silver bullets. He also grabbed a silver crucifix and a bottle of holy water.

"Carl," Van Helsing said. "We're going after a _werewolf_. Holy water doesn't do anything to werewolves..."

"Yes, but this is _Transylvania_," Carl said as he shoved the bag into Van Helsing's arms. "You never know when you'll encounter a vampire in that forsaken place."

"The friar makes a valid point, Van Helsing," Catherine commented. She gave Carl a pat on the shoulder. "Smart thinking, Carl."

Carl's face flushed bright pink. "T-Thank you, C-Catherine." Then, he held out his hands. "Van Helsing, if I can have your crossbow...routine maintenance, you know..."

Van Helsing produced his crossbow and handed it over to Carl. When he brought it out, Catherine's blue eyes widened slightly. "Is that a _crossbow_?"

"Not just any crossbow," Carl boasted proudly. "My own state-of-the-art creation. Capable of catapulting arrows in rapid succession at tremendous velocity. Just-"

"Just pull the trigger and hold on," Van Helsing finished, smirking. He could understand why Carl was so proud. Carl's crossbow had served him well in Transylvania.

Catherine's eyes lit up. "Now, this I like."

"It's your lucky day, then," Carl said. "I may just have a spare..."

Carl led Catherine over to another table, and Van Helsing watched them go with a small smirk on his face. Catherine seemed nice enough...but it was so strange that she had been a part of his dreams for nearly eight years, and suddenly, she was real.

Van Helsing glanced over to find Carl handing Catherine a crossbow identical to his. Catherine gave him a warm smile, and Carl's face tinged bright pink again. Van Helsing gave a small chuckle under his breath. The way Carl was acting, he could tell Carl was fond of Catherine.

"Um...Catherine, be careful where you're aiming at!" he heard Carl warn.

"Carl, I've been handling bows and arrows since I was five," Catherine assured him. "This shouldn't be too different..."

There was a _whoosh_, and suddenly, Van Helsing felt his hat fly off his head. In surprise, he looked to his right and found his hat on the floor, a single arrow all the way through it. Several nearby friars snickered until Van Helsing silenced them with a glare. He looked back at his skewered hat again. "What the-?"

He turned his attention to Carl and Catherine and found Catherine holding her crossbow in a firing position, the crossbow's sights aligned with Van Helsing's head. Carl was staring at him with wide eyes, wondering what he'd do next.

Catherine lowered her crossbow a little. "Sorry about that, Van Helsing. Well...at least I know it works!"

Van Helsing scowled at her, then grabbed his hat and yanked the arrow out, muttering vile curses under his breath. He tossed the arrow aside and joined Catherine and Carl.

"If you two are done over here," he said, taking his crossbow back from Carl, "we better be going. We've got a long way to go..."

"Ah, right...off to Transylvania," Carl remarked. He turned as if to go back to the hustle and bustle of the armory, but with a glare from both Van Helsing and Catherine, he grabbed the bag of supplies and started for the hidden staircase. "Right, I'll just be going first then, won't I?"

_Another adventure is about to begin,_ Van Helsing thought to himself as he followed his partners out to their horses.

----

_Well, it's time for another grand adventure with Van Helsing, Carl, and now, Catherine! Who, if you didn't notice, has a pretty good aim, eh?_

Van Helsing: Glad you thought it was funny..._(glares at Catherine) _

Catherine: Yes, as a matter of fact, I found it very entertaining.

_Sorry, Van Helsing...I have to agree with Catherine on this. It's hilarious! Nice aim, Catherine! (high-fives Catherine)_

Van Helsing: (_pulls hat down further over face and mumbles quick stream of swear words mixed with the words "Catherine" "hat" "crossbow" and "no respect")_

CatherineOh, get over it! It was just a stupid hat! I could have pointed that thing at your **head**, you know that, right?! So get over yourself, Gabriel!!!

_Sorry, folks...I gotta go break them up before either Catherine kills Van Helsing or Van Helsing kills Catherine...or before they decide to kill me!! You two: CHILL!!! NOW!!! And to the readers: Thanks for reading! Hope you liked! Good? Bad? You don't care, you just want to see Catherine and Van Helsing fight? Hit the magical review button and let me know! _


	6. A Friendly Welcome?

_**A/N: **Hi! Yeah...I decided to post another chapter of Night Warriors because I'm currently bored and a little strung out on sugar...I not really getting a lot of reviews on this one, but, as always, thanks a million to **Dr. Lust **for her reviews! Oh, yeah, a warning...flames will be used to hopefully warm me up(I don't know why...maybe it's the ice cream...but I'm freezing! Geez, you'd think my dad could turn up the heat!)_

_**Disclaimer: **Once again, if I owned Van Helsing, why would I be writing fanfiction about it?_

Chapter Six: A Friendly Welcome?

_A Week Later_

Despite the fact that it was late spring, it was actually rather chilly in Transylvania. Van Helsing's trench coat kept him warm, but his face was chilled from the cool air. Catherine led the way, in front of him, while Carl brought up the rear, occasionally complaining about the weather...or something else...

"The town's just ahead, about four miles up the road," Catherine said, pointing. "That's where we stop."

"Thank God," Carl said from the back. "My arse was becoming numb from riding!"

Catherine and Van Helsing both shot him looks from over their shoulders.

"What?" Carl asked.

As they approached the town, Van Helsing realized it was a lot like Vaseria: Mostly composed of farmers, peasants, and old buildings. They rode into town, and he noticed all the people staring at them. The townsfolk started approaching them as they dismounted. Most of them were clutching pitchforks and other farming equipment, while others clutched crucifixes or crossed themselves.

_More like Vaseria than I thought..._ Van Helsing pondered to himself. _I'm beginning to wonder if all Romania__ns are so hostile..._

"Excuse me!" a man cried out from the back of the crowd. "Let me through, I say!"

The crowd parted, and a young man came forward. His young face was twisted into a scowl, and he had thick brown hair tied back at the nape of his neck. His gray eyes were narrowed suspiciously as he eyed Carl, Van Helsing, and Catherine.

"Who are you?" he asked. "And what is your business in Strenotia?"

Van Helsing took it that Strenotia was the name of the town. He opened his mouth, but, surprisingly, Catherine stepped up to address the man.

"My name is Catherine, and these are my partners, Van Helsing and Carl," she explained. "We have traveled here from Rome to help you. We hear you have problems with a pack of werewolves..."

The man's face brightened instantly. "You are here to help rid us of the wolf-man?" He hurried forward, seized Catherine's hand, then kissed the back of her hand. "Welcome to Strenotia! I am Edward de Fore, magistrate of the town."

Carl glared jealously at Edward as he kissed Catherine's hand again. Surprisingly, Van Helsing felt a twinge of anger at Edward, too...

_What?_ he wondered. _Am I...jealous because he kisse__d Catherine..? No..._

Just then, Edward turned to Van Helsing and firmly shook his hand. He noticed that while Edward was smiling warmly, his gray eyes were cold as winter.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr...ah, what was the name..?"

"Van Helsing. Just Van Helsing."

"Ah, yes," Edward said. "Come, come with me. We will discuss these matters in a more private place."

---

A few minutes later, Catherine, Van Helsing, Carl, and Edward slid into a table in a back corner of the Vampyre Inn, a local inn and tavern. Each was clutching a mug of warm coffee in their hands, and, as soon as they sat, Carl eagerly began gulping his coffee. They leaned in closely so they wouldn't be overheard.

"The werewolves?" Van Helsing asked, his patience starting to wear thin.

Edward sighed and set his cup down. "Very well...things were peaceful until six months ago. One dark, cold December night, a man who called himself "Sirius" came and stayed here, at the Vampyre Inn, on the night of a full moon..."

"And then, come morning, five villagers were found brutally murdered..." Van Helsing finished.

Edward raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You know of this?"

"Yes," Catherine said, lowering her mug. "Gabriel and I have both already been informed of the situation. What we're interested in is who _exactly_ Sirius is...and why he's come here..."

Van Helsing glanced over at Catherine. She had called him Gabriel at the cliffs in South France too..._why_? He had only been introduced to her a week ago, yet she acted as if she'd known him for years.

Edward stared miserably into his cup. "That's the problem...we do not know who he is, for he left no last name. And as to why he's here, we're still unsure, though we do believe it's because of the rumors of werewolf packs nearby..."

Carl looked absolutely lost, but both Van Helsing and Catherine nodded. "Very well then," Van Helsing, standing up. "We shall take rooms here at the inn, and we shall begin searching for him-or any werewolves-at dusk."

Edward was on his feet in an instant. "No no no! It's far too dangerous to be out there after dark! Perhaps you should postpone this until tomorrow..."

"No," Van Helsing insisted. "We'll start tonight."

---

As dawn broke, the trio stumbled up the stairs to their room at the inn. Van Helsing was in an exceptionally bad mood; their night in the nearby forests hunting werewolves had gone horribly. Not a single one to be found.

They pushed open the door to their room and glanced around. The room had rough wooden floors and walls, one tiny window covered with threadbare curtains that were barely blocking the sunlight, a small desk with a stubby candle, and _two_ beds.

The trio stared silently at the meager room for a minute before Carl spoke up. "This is it?"

Catherine nodded. "Yes...right...we have a small problem...there are _three_ of us...and only _two_ beds..."

"Well, I know I'm not sharing a bed!" Carl said. He sat down on one bed, then laid down and curled up slightly, his back to Van Helsing and Catherine.

"Mmm..." Catherine sighed. "And I thought monks were supposed to be selfless..."

"They are..." Van Helsing commented, smirking slightly. "However...Carl is only a friar, so..."

A grin crossed Catherine's face. "Of course. Well...looks like we shall have to..."

She trailed off and rubbed the back of her neck. Her face turned pink. Van Helsing knew his face was probably slightly red, too.

Awkwardly, they sat down on opposite sides of the bed. They both lay down, carefully making sure there was a large space of empty bed between them. Van Helsing stared at the wall, trying to get comfortable even though the situation was rather awkward.

"Good night, Catherine..." he murmured.

"Good night...Van Helsing..." she mumbled back.

-----

_(murmuring softly) Catherine and Van Helsing, sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g..._

Van Helsing/Catherine: _(turning away from TV screen...they were watching Dracula 2000) _What did you say?

_Nothing, nothing..._

Van Helsing: You know, you'd think Carl would be a little more selfless...he is a friar, after all...

Catherine: You'd also think he'd have the decency not to tell us his ass hurts, but apparently not...

_Nice mouth, Catherine..._

Van Helsing: Correct me if I'm wrong, but he only said his arse hurt, didn't he?

_Van Helsing, sweetie, "arse" is the nicer way of saying "ass", you do know that right?_

Van Helsing: Um...of course I did...hey, is that Dracula on the screen?

_Not just any Dracula, my friend...(stares at screen, or, more importantly, at the hot Dracula portrayed by Gerard Butler on the screen. After a moment, seems to remember that readers and muses are present) Right! Um...review if you're so inclined! Thanks for reading!_


	7. Dracula's Pendant

_**A/N: **Well...sadly, I'm not getting a lot of reviews on this one. However, as always, many thanks to **Dr. Lust **for her kind reviews as always! Um...I hope you guys like this! Please review!_

_**Disclaimer: **Nope...still don't own Van Helsing...sorry._

Chapter Seven: Dracula's Pendant

_Two weeks later_

Carl, Catherine, and Van Helsing were crowded around a small table in the back corner of Strenotia's small library. The old table was rather rickety, and currently, it looked in danger of collapsing under the weight of all the books on it.

"How much longer are we going to do this?" Carl whined, setting aside a book.

Van Helsing looked up from the book in his hands. "As long as it takes, Carl," he said patiently.

"Well, I mean it's not like I have an objection to the books..." Carl said, waving his hand vaguely at the stacks of books. "But I thought looking through the books was _my_ job. I mean...shouldn't you be out there, actually _fighting_ werewolves? Or, at the very least, looking for them?"

"It wouldn't do me much good to look," Van Helsing commented, closing the book he had been holding, frustrated by its lack of information. "The moon won't be full for another two weeks. They're all going to be human if I look for them now..."

"I don't know why we're even bothering with researching them..." Carl continued, placing another book on top of a teetering stack. "You I and both know plenty about werewolves, Van Helsing, especially after the Dracula assign-"

"Carl..." Van Helsing growled, warning Carl that he was crossing into dangerous territory.

"What?" the friar whined.

"Drop. It..."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of!" Carl said. "What happened to you could've happened to anyone, you know, and I fail to see why you take it so hard! I mean, you weren't in control, you weren't responsible for your actions-"

"Carl..." Van Helsing growled, sounding threatening." Just...drop...it..."

"All right, all right, I'll drop it!" Carl said, holding his hands up defensively. "God, no need to get your trench coat in a bunch..." he added in an undertone.

Suddenly, Catherine shut her book with a loud _snap_. "Would you two stop arguing?!" she snapped in annoyance. "Carl, if Van Helsing doesn't want to talk about it, leave him the hell alone!"

Carl cowered in his chair as though he was in danger of Catherine lunging forward and killing him. Van Helsing himself was a little shocked. Catherine always seemed so peaceful, but she had obviously reached her limits, to have snapped like that.

A moment passed, and Catherine slumped against the back of her chair, rubbing her temples with her hand.

"Are you all right?" Van Helsing asked.

Catherine nodded. "I'm sorry I snapped like that...I haven't really been sleeping well on that bed...and the two of your arguing was giving me a headache..."

She gave him a small apologetic smile, then picked up her book and opened it again. Van Helsing closed the book in his hand, set it aside, then reached for another book on top of a pile that had been put on the floor due to a lack of space on the table. As he reached down, however, something fell from his pocket and landed on the wooden floor rather loudly.

To his surprise, it was the pendant he had found on the cliffs in South France. He picked it up, then sat back up and examined it.

It hadn't changed...though he hadn't expected it to. It still had the same insignia as his ring...but that was all he really knew about it. He couldn't prove it was connected to Dracula...though he was sure it was...He couldn't even prove it really belonged to Catherine...

"Where did you find that?" Catherine asked, pointing at the pendant.

"I found it in South France..." Van Helsing said. He wasn't sure if he should mention that he had seen her there shortly before he had found the pendant. "Why?"

"It belongs to me," Catherine said. She held out her hand. "I was wondering where it had gone. May I have it back?"

Van Helsing nodded, then placed the pendant back into Catherine's hand. She grinned happily, then fastened the pendant around her neck.

Van Helsing noticed that Carl, who had been watching the entire thing from over the edge of his book, was now staring curiously at the pendant.

"What? What is it?" Van Helsing mouthed to Carl.

Carl glanced nervously at Catherine." Later..." he mouthed.

---

Later on that evening, Van Helsing and Carl sat in a darkened, secluded corner in the crowded tavern of the Vampyre Inn. They leaned in close, partially to hear each other and partially so they wouldn't be overheard. Luckily for them, Catherine had left about an hour ago to, as she told Van Helsing, "go on a stroll", so they wouldn't have to worry about her overhearing.

"You wanted to talk?" Van Helsing murmured.

Carl nodded, causing his turned-up-at-the-ends blonde hair to bob slightly. "Yes...about that pendant...didn't you notice? That insignia on the pendant...it's the same as the one on your ring..."

"I know," Van Helsing said, glancing at his right hand, where the ring was. "And that insignia was on the missing piece of the map Valerious the Elder left at the Order."

"Hmm? Oh, right, I suppose it was, wasn't it?" Carl asked, seeming slightly surprised. The fact that Carl hadn't noticed didn't surprise Van Helsing, though. Carl had a habit of often being so wrapped up in his work, he didn't notice things like that.

_Of course, he's not the only one who can get wrapped up in his work..._ Van Helsing thought to himself. "It was, yes. And Carl...I never told you this, but...back when I was...fighting Dracula...he told me...that the ring was...his ring..."

Carl gave a loud squeak of shock and toppled out of his chair. Several people close by stared curiously as Carl climbed back into his chair. He gave them a quick, reassuring smile, then turned his attention back to Van Helsing.

"_What?_ Dracula's ring? Are you positive?"

Van Helsing shot him a look that clearly said "do I look as though I'm lying?"

"Oh, um...right..." Carl stammered. "But, if the ring belonged to Dracula, and the ring and the pendant have the same insignia, then doesn't that mean that-?"

"-That the pendant may have once belonged to Dracula?" Van Helsing finished. "It's entirely possible..."

"But, but...but wouldn't that mean that if Catherine has Dracula's pendant that she works for him?" Carl's naturally high-pitched voice had risen to a panicked squeak by now.

Van Helsing sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, Carl. I have Dracula's ring, but I never worked for him, did I?"

"Not as far as we know, but yes..." Carl murmured as he thought about that.

"Carl, Dracula's been dead for almost eight months now," Van Helsing said. "And Catherine has yet to say one word about her past. There's no way to tell if she ever did or still does work for him..."

He sighed again, then watched as the flame on the candle in the middle of the table danced wildly. "For all we know...she just might work for him..."

----

_Uh-oh...I'm sensing perhaps a little bit of trouble on the horizon..._

Van Helsing: You're damn straight there's trouble! Carl thinks Catherine may have worked for Dracula...and this time, I may be inclined to agree with him...

_Do you have any proof? I'm talking solid, tangeable proof, here, my lovely muse..._

Van Helsing: Well, besides the pendant...no. But Carl and I have our suspicions...

_Boy, you better be glad Catherine's gone for the moment or you'd be so screwed...by the way, where did she go, anyways?_

Van Helsing: I don't know...I think she said something about coffee before she left...

_Coffee? But the nearest coffeeshop's somewhere in town...too far to walk...are you sure she said coffee?_

Van Helsing: Yeah, I think so..._(gets distracted by televsion) _Hey, is that an Evanescence music video?

_Where? Um...hey! Yeah, it is! Well, hope you enjoyed! Please review...you guys make me feel so good when you review! Until next time, my loves!_


	8. What Can Go Wrong

_**A/N: **Still not a lot of reviews on this one, sadly...but I still have my bestest buddy **Dr. Lust **who gives me the lovliest(sp?) reviews! I hope, if there are those of you out there who like this story, that you please review at least one time...please?_

_**Disclaimer: **I have put the rights to Van Helsing on my Christmas wish list, but I don't think I'm going to get it, so...yeah, I still don't own it._

Chapter Eight: What Can Go Wrong…

_Two Weeks Later_

Van Helsing, Catherine, and Carl quietly approached the forests on the edge of town. A full moon gave them enough light to see by as they walked boldly into the dense trees. Or, rather, Catherine and Van Helsing walked boldly; Carl, on the other hand, was visibly shaking from head to toe.

"Van Helsing..." he whimpered loudly.

"Keep your voice down, Carl," Van Helsing warned as he braced his crossbow, now loaded with silver-tipped arrows, over his shoulder. "We're as good as dead if they hear us..."

"B-But I t-thought I-I was only i-in charge o-of the b-b-books," Carl whimpered. "I-I didn't t-think I w-was actually g-going out into the f-field! I thought w-was why C-Catherine was w-with you..."

"Oh, come on Carl, where's your sense of adventure?" Catherine asked as she too braced her crossbow over her shoulder. "You'll be all right, I promise. We know what we're doing...don't we, Van Helsing?"

Van Helsing nodded as he led the group deeper into the forest. The dirt path beneath their feet became more twisted and wilder the further into the woods they traveled. Finally, it split into two paths, both leading in opposite directions. Van Helsing brought the group to a stop where the path split.

"Which way do we go?" Catherine asked, stepping up next to him and glancing down both paths.

"I'm not sure," he responded. "Either way could lead us there..."

"Then we split up," Catherine said logically. "You and Carl take one path, I'll take the other."

"You're all right by yourself?" Van Helsing asked as Catherine turned to take the right-hand path.

Catherine nodded. "I'll be fine. Anything gives me hell-" She shifted her crossbow slightly. "-And I'll give it hell..."

She turned and strode down the right-hand path. Van Helsing watched her until she disappeared from view, then, he turned and began down the left-hand path, Carl right behind him.

---

To her surprise, half an hour passed with no sign of werewolves. Catherine continued deeper into the forest, finally emerging in a clearing. She glanced around warily, then sat at the base of a tree, setting her crossbow next to her. She leaned her head back so it was resting against the tree's trunk and closed her eyes.

A rustle of leaves and heavy footfalls nearby reached her ears. Her eyes snapped open, and she was on her feet in an instant, crossbow raised and ready to fire.

She spun in a tight circle, taking in her surroundings...but she was still all alone. She sighed, then lowered her crossbow.

_I must be paranoid..._ Catherine thought.

Suddenly, she felt hot breath on the back of her neck. She stiffened, turned slowly, and opened her mouth to scream...

But that scream never came.

---

Deep in the forest, Van Helsing set his crossbow aside and leaned against a tree trunk, crossing his arms across his chest as he did. Carl was a few yards away or so away, examining a footprint he had seen on the ground that looked suspicious...

It had been maybe an hour since they had left Catherine at the split in the path, and he was starting to get a little nervous.

While he had no doubt in Catherine's ability, he was worried. Werewolves were no laughing matter when it came to _fighting_ them.

_What if Catherine's in over her head? What if she's trying to fight a werewolf by herself-?_ Van Helsing shook his head. _No...Catherine will be all right..._

Van Helsing's ears, which had been tuned into his surroundings, picked up the sound of footsteps nearby. They sounded rather clumsy, as if whatever was approaching was staggering around.

He reached for his crossbow, and, he had it up and ready to fire just as Catherine came staggering through the trees.

Van Helsing raised his eyebrows in surprise at his partner's appearance. Her face was smeared with something that looked suspiciously like blood. Her clothes were ripped, and they also appeared to be stained with blood. Her right arm was wrapped across her stomach, her right hand, also covered in blood, clutching her left side. Her left arm hung at her side, essentially dragging her crossbow. She was out-of-breath and panting heavily. She looked as if she had...gotten in a fight...

"Catherine, what happened to you?" he asked as she stumbled towards him.

"Nothing, I'm fine," she assured him. But, given her appearance, Van Helsing didn't really believe her.

"Catherine, I don't think you're fine..." He took a step towards her, placing a hand on her shoulder. However, she pulled away roughly.

"I told you, I'm fine!" she snapped. She turned and started back towards the direction they had come from. However, she hadn't taken more than two steps when she stumbled, fell to her knees, then collapsed to the ground, twisting and landing on her back as she did. Van Helsing hurried over, only to be met by a shocking sight.

Catherine's arm no longer covered her stomach, revealing a huge rip in her corset and blouse right across her stomach. Beneath the rip, all that was visible was blood, a strange dark red color. There was also a large gash on her right arm, running from her wrist to her elbow. Van Helsing realized that those wounds must've been the reason she'd kept her arm across her stomach...keeping them carefully hidden.

He swore under his breath. Why had she lied and said she was fine? Clearly, she really wasn't...

A whimper caught his attention. It had come from Catherine. He saw tears sparkling in her eyes and more trickling down her cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry, Gabriel..." she whispered. "I...I shouldn't...have lied..." She gave a small gasp. "Oh, God...it hurts..."

"What happened?"

"A...a w-werewolf...He snuck up on me..."A shaky grin crossed her face. "That m-means we found them, t-though...or at l-least one..."

Van Helsing nodded, then swore under his breath again. He had been trying to stop Catherine's bleeding, or at least slow it, for a few minutes now, but it hadn't even begun to slow.

"Carl!" Van Helsing called. "Come here! Now!"

Carl hurried over, his robes rustling, and he gave a horrified gasp when he saw the extent of Catherine's injuries. "Oh, my God!"

Van Helsing nodded. "I know...we need to get her back to Strenotia...but first we need to deal with all the blood..."

There was a loud ripping noise, and Carl handed Van Helsing a piece of brown cloth that looked suspiciously like it had come from his robes. Sure enough, the ends of Carl's robes were ripped jaggedly in one place.

A few minutes later, Catherine's wounds had been temporarily bandaged. However, Catherine herself was unconscious and in too bad of shape to walk all the way back to Strenotia. So, Van Helsing gently picked her up, Carl grabbed their equipment, and they both headed back towards Strenotia.

-----

_Uh-oh...that can't be good..._

Van Helsing:_(sipping coffee from a Starbucks cup) _Uh...no duh...

_(puts cup of hot chocolate back in table and raises eyebrow at Van Helsing) Excuse me, are you getting mouthy with me, Gabriel Van Helsing?_

Van Helsing: No, of course not. I'm just pointing out that it's obviously not a good thing Catherine got attacked by a werewolf...

Catherine:_(scanning DVDs in DVD cabinet and sipping from Starbucks cup) _Of course it's not good. If you think just _seeing _it was bad, you should try getting your arm and stomach slit open by those claws..._(shivers, then picks up Phantom of the Opera DVD case) _This looks promising...and, oooh, who is that guy on the cover? The one in the mask? He's..._(gives a happy sort of shiver)_

Van Helsing: Um, what does that movie have to do with this?

Catherine: Dunno. I just got kind of bored...

_Ah, don't worry, Van Helsing, it's a good movie! In fact...put it in, Catherine! You know how to work a DVD player, right?_

Catherine: Oh course I do! What kind of idiot doesn't know how to work...okay, I'm lying through my teeth. I have no living clue how to work this thing!

_Right...I have to go show Catherine how to work a DVD player! Hope you enjoyed this chapter...quite intense, wasn't it? Well, please review, if it's not too much trouble! Until next time, I bid you all adieu! _


	9. Some Wounds Are Deeper

_**A/N: **Well, I have some good news! I got a new reviewer! Thanks so much to my good friend **musiclover209 **for her reviews! And, of course, thanks as always to **Dr. Lust **for her love of this story!_

_**Disclaimer: **I own a fair number of characters, but I don't own Van Helsing or anything from it, sadly..._

Chapter Nine: Some Wounds Are Deeper

Van Helsing watched as both Carl and Edward, whom they had informed of their emergency as soon as they reached Strenotia, paced nervously outside of the room where Catherine was. Edward had brought the local doctor to Fore Manor, and he had also insisted that, for the time being, Van Helsing, Carl, and Catherine stayed there.

While Van Helsing looked calm and collected, he, too, was nervous. Catherine had said she was attacked by a werewolf...was she bitten? Was it possible that her wounds had been tainted with the werewolf's curse?

The door opened, and the doctor came out. "Well, I've fixed her up for now. Thankfully, all the wounds were scratches, not bites, so she's not...infected. She's lost a fair deal of blood, but she's a strong girl. She'll be fine in a week or so..."

Carl and Edward sighed in relief, and Van Helsing relaxed. Catherine was all right. And, more importantly, she wasn't infected with the werewolf curse.

"May I see her?" Carl asked anxiously.

The doctor shook his head. "She's still unconscious. Give her a little time. I'll stay here through the night, and I'll let all of you know how she is come morning."

---

The next morning, Van Helsing was wandering the halls of Fore Manor, hoping to find a library of sorts, just to see what information Edward might have on werewolves. He felt something tug at his arm, and he found a young servant girl pulling at the sleeve of his coat.

"Are you Mr. Van Helsing?" she asked timidly. Van Helsing gave her a nod. "Well, erm...I was sent by the doctor...he says Miss Catherine has requested to see you..."

Van Helsing followed the girl back to Catherine's room, then he carefully opened the door and slipped inside. The room was dark, lit only by a few candles. The main feature of the room was a large four-poster bed, and that was where Catherine was lying. She looked about the same as she normally did, with the exception that her right arm was bound in bandages from her elbow down. Her corset and blouse seemed to be gone, too, and Van Helsing could see the edge of what looked like more bandages, probably wrapped around her chest, peeking out from under the comforter. Her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping, however, as soon as he closed the door, her eyes opened.

"Ah...good to see you, Van Helsing," she said softly, sounding like someone who had just woken up.

"Good to see you too, Catherine," he responded, approaching her. "So...how do you feel?"

Catherine smiled. "Like hell. But believe me, I've felt worse."

"I was told you wanted to see me."

Catherine nodded as she fiddled with the bandages around her arm. "I did. First things first...I wanted to thank you. You and Carl. You both essentially saved my life. You brought me back here, made sure I didn't die. And I thank you for it."

"It was nothing, really," Van Helsing, leaning against one of the bedposts. "After all, it wouldn't do me much good if my partner was dead, now would it?"

"No, it wouldn't..." Catherine smiled, then grimaced and put a hand to her side, giving a small hiss of pain. "Damnit..."

"You all right?"

"I'm fine..." she insisted through teeth clenched in pain."It's just...Wounds take time to heal. And they hurt like the Devil until they do."

Van Helsing nodded in agreement. For a moment, they found themselves in that familiar awkward silence they spent a lot of time in, then, Catherine spoke again, "I wanted to ask you something...it's about what I heard a few weeks ago. When we at the library..."

Van Helsing nodded, but cold fear began to build within him. He knew what Catherine was going to ask, and he had really hoped to avoid that particular subject...

"I want to know what Carl meant by those things he said. What he meant when he said you weren't in control of your actions..."

Van Helsing lowered his head, trying to collect his thoughts so he could figure out what to tell her.

"I wasn't in control of my actions..." he finally said."Because of what had happened a few days earlier..."

---

_Pain. Shooting, searing pain, right in __the middle of his chest._

_That was the first thing Van Helsing was aware of when he awoke. The sky was light, meaning it was morning. Was it true that that__ hellish night was over?_

_He heard voices. Two of them. Anna and...was it Ve__lkan? What had happened?_

_Van Helsing slowly got to his feet. He heard a low, male voice speaking, a moment of silence, then, Anna spoke. Her voice was thick with tears.__ "I will see you again."_

_He staggered out of the bushes, clutching his chest. Anna was kneeling next to her brother's body, tears streaking down her cheeks. She turned and saw Van Helsing, and the emotion in her eyes switched from heartbreak to rage in an instant. She got to her feet and a__pproached him furiously._

_"You killed him!" she howled, pushing him back against a__ tree. "You killed him!"_

_He gritted his teeth in pain as Anna pushed him against the tree. "Now you know why the__y call me a murderer..."_

_She looked as though she had more she wanted to say, but her eyes flickered to his chest, and how he was clutching at it. She put her hand over his, then, together, they opened his coat and vest to find his shirt ripped and stained with blood. Their eyes met, both fille__d with shock and horror._

_"Oh my God," Anna breathe__d. "You've been bitten!"_

_She slowly backed away, just as pain coursed through him again. He closed his eyes; for a moment, the searing pain __was all that mattered..._

_A second later, he heard a noise. He turned, only to find Anna being lifted into the sky by Dracula's last remaining bride, upside-down and unconscious..._

---

Catherine listened raptly to Van Helsing's tale. She noticed, though, that he kept his head bowed as he did, as though he were..._ashamed_.

"You were bitten by a werewolf?" she asked.

Van Helsing nodded solemnly. "I was bitten by Anna's brother, Velkan, when he was a werewolf."

Catherine's eyes narrowed. "You're not still..?"

Van Helsing looked up and shook his head. "No...the curse was removed from me after I defeated Dracula..."

Catherine sat up so suddenly her wounds shot a fresh wave of pain through her, but she ignored it. "You defeated _Dracula_?! Dracula, the King of the Undead?!"

"Yes..." Van Helsing said. "A werewolf was the only thing that could defeat him."

Catherine nodded, then was silent for a brief moment. "What...what happened to Anna?"

Van Helsing's head quickly snapped around to stare at Catherine. Had his ears deceived him, or did she just ask..?

"Beg pardon?"

"What happened to Anna?" Catherine said. "You never did say what happened to her."

As Van Helsing tried to figure out what exactly he was going to say or do, the door opened and the doctor came in. "I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Van Helsing, but I'd be much obliged if you could step out. I need to tend to Miss Catherine's injuries a little more..."

Van Helsing nodded and left the room, silently thanking the doctor for coming in when he did. It's not that he was angry at Catherine for her question...it was that he didn't want to think about what had happened to Anna...

_Maybe someday I'll be able to tell her..._ Van Helsing thought as he walked down the hall. _But that day_ isn't _today_.

---------

_Glad Catherine's all right...wish I could say the same about Van Helsing...I don't think he's fine..._

Catherine: Brilliant deduction, Sherlock...

_In a bad mood today, are we, Catherine?_

Catherine: No!

Van Helsing: Yes...

Catherine: Who asked you?

_Here we go again...I'm telling you, never try to accomplish something with these two around...will you two relax?! You're supposed to be partners! So stop fighting for three seconds! Remember, I am in control of what happens to you guys..._

Van Helsing: Yeah, but we're your muses. We inspire you about what to write, remember?

_So? Writers don't always have to agree with their muses..._

Van Helsing: This is true...all right, we'll try to get along...

_Good boy! (huggles Van Helsing) Anyways...hope you liked this chapter! Please review!_


	10. A Chance of Storms

_**A/N: **I'm ba-ack! Yeah...I told you these chapters would come fast, pretty much because their already-written! So sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! Big thanks to **musiclover209 **and **Dr. Lust **for their lovely reviews!_

_**Disclaimer: **These are someone else's characters I'm playing with, here...well, except for the people I made up!_

Chapter Ten: A Chance of Storms

The next two or three days passed rather uneventfully at Fore Manor. With Carl's help, Van Helsing managed to locate the library, as well as dig up a decent selection of books with information about werewolves.

Van Helsing also visited Catherine, whom had been confined to her bed so she could recover, often. He brought her a few of the werewolf books, and he also kept her company, usually just by staying and talking with her.

She brought the subject of Anna up a lot, however. Every time she asked Van Helsing what happened to Anna, he felt that strange, cold feeling of fear in his stomach. He'd usually end up changing the subject as quickly as he could.

During their stay, Edward played the role of the ever-courteous host. He gave both Van Helsing and Carl rooms to stay in-Carl received a room close to the library, to his delight- and was polite from the time Carl rose at five-thirty in the morning to pray until Van Helsing decided to retire for the night, which was often past midnight.

And yet...something about Edward wasn't right. He seemed strangely cold and distant with Van Helsing; he was never outright rude, though, only polite. In addition, he would often vanish for hours on end...but only after sunset, never during the day.

Van Helsing may not have been able to sense any evil from him...but he was beginning to get the feeling something wasn't right about Edward de Fore.

---

On the fourth morning of their stay at Fore Manor, Van Helsing and Carl were on their way to the library when they heard hurried footsteps behind them. Glancing over their shoulders, they saw, to their surprise, Catherine running towards them. Her long brown hair was messy and tousled, with some of it sticking up at odd angles. She had hastily thrown on a dressing-gown, but had forgotten to tie it, exposing the pristine white linen bandages wrapped around her chest and torso. She still had on her black leggings, but her feet were bare, and another white linen bandage was wrapped around her injured ankle. However, she effortlessly sprinted towards them, coming to a stop where they had stopped. Her deep azure eyes were alive with excitement.

"Catherine...what are you doing out of bed?" Van Helsing asked in a concerned tone.

Catherine completely ignored his question. "Van Helsing...Carl...I just found something...We've been going about this all wrong!"

"Going about what all wrong?" Carl asked, his face completely blank.

"Our entire plan of how we hunt the werewolves!" Catherine blurted out, waving her hands excitedly. Van Helsing saw she was clutching a battered, dog-eared book in her left hand. "I found it in this book I was reading...You said there's a library here, right?"

Carl nodded, then, they both led her to the library. As soon as she was in there, she slapped the book down in the middle of the table, scattering papers covered in Carl's untidy scrawl everywhere. Carl gathered up the papers, giving Catherine an insulted look, while she rifled through the pages of the book. Finally, she stopped and pointed to pointed to a passage.

"Right here..." she said. "You see, we've only been hunting werewolves during the full moon, right? Well...there's a flaw in that. The flaw is that very few werewolves are bound by the full moon anymore!"

"What does that mean?" Van Helsing asked as he glanced at the passage.

"It means that werewolves only _have_ to change with the full moon the very first time they change," she explained. "It used to be that all werewolves were bound by the full moon. They would remain in their wolven state during the entire full moon cycle, then become human once the moon waned. However, according to this passage, many werewolves learned to tame the beast within, as it were. And thus, transforming strictly became an issue of mind of matter."

Carl stared blankly at Catherine, but Van Helsing nodded slowly in understanding. "I think I understand...this certainly explains murders worthy of werewolves that occur between full moons..."

"Precisely," Catherine said. "So, I propose we go out hunting again tonight...all of us."

Both Carl and Van Helsing understood that perfectly, and they both began trying to persuade Catherine not to go, not with her injuries. However, she ignored both of them, left the library, and returned moments later in her usual hunting clothes. She grabbed the book, shoved it into her pack, then left the library, beckoning for Van Helsing and Carl to follow her.

---

Hours later, at nightfall, the trio sat in a clearing, around a fire. They had spent most of the day scouring the forest, finding _signs_ of the werewolves, but no _actual_ werewolves.

For a long time, they all sat, rather silently, around the fire, staring at it as it crackled and burned. The day's events had left them tired, and the lack of werewolves had left them disappointed.

After a while, Van Helsing stood up, walked to the edge of the clearing, then sat down with his back against a tree. He leaned his head back to stare at the stars, his emotions in turmoil. Disappointment at the failure of the day's hunt mingled with sorrow and grief over Anna.

_Anna..._he mused. _I've been thinking about her more and more as of late. But...why? Is it that I'm holding on to her because she's the closest I've ever known to family, and because she gave me hope for a future? Or...or is it because of-?_

He heard footsteps approaching him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Catherine approaching. She sat down next to him, drew her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around her knees, staring at the stars like Van Helsing.

She sighed. "Van Helsing. I need to speak to you about something..."

"If it's about Anna...I don't wish to speak about it," he said rather curtly.

"But...why? You made it sound as though you loved her. Why do you refuse to even talk about her?"

Van Helsing didn't respond. Instead, he just stared at the stars, purposefully avoiding Catherine's curious gaze. A long moment of silence followed, then...

"Are you..._hiding_ something, Van Helsing?"

He whipped his head around to stare at Catherine. Deep within him, he could feel the embers of rage beginning to burn.

_God in Heaven, can't she let this be?!_ he thought viciously. "What?!"

"You _have_ to be hiding something," Catherine said. Her voice had taken on a darker tone. "If you weren't hiding something, you have told me what happened to Anna, now wouldn't you?"

He quickly stood, anger beginning to overtake his emotions. "It's not like that," he snarled. "Did you ever stop to think that maybe I didn't wish to talk about it?"

Catherine stood to her feet, her face twisting into a scowl. "Do you ever want to talk about anything? Your emotions, your dreams, your fears? Do you ever talk about those? Or is killing in the name of the Church all your life is about?"

Something in Van Helsing snapped, and suddenly, his hand shot out and locked around Catherine's throat. She gasped loudly as he pushed her against a tree and she pulled at his hand, trying to pull it off her neck.

Carl hurried over, drawn by the sounds of raised voices and Catherine's surprised gasp. He himself gave a surprised squeak when he saw Van Helsing's hand around Catherine's throat.

"Van Helsing, have you completely lost your mind?!!" Carl cried as he pulled at Van Helsing's arm. "She's your partner! Are you _trying_ to kill her?!"

"And I'm the only one keeping secrets, right?!" Van Helsing growled, ignoring Carl completely. "I think not! You've got secrets, too! I know it!"

Without warning, he seized her right arm, pulled her sleeve up, and ripped the bandages off her arm. Instead of the long, healing gash that should've been there, there was _nothing_...her skin was smooth and unblemished, as if the wound had never been there.

Carl gasped in surprise, but Van Helsing had almost expected it, especially after what had happened earlier that day. "I knew it...there was no possible way that you could've sprinted down that hall, much less stand a full day of tracking, unless you were completely healed...but in only _two_ days..?" he hissed. "Clearly, I'm not the only one with secrets..."

Catherine stared at him defiantly for a moment, then, she sighed and dropped her head in defeat.

"All right..." she said softly. "You're...you're right...I...I do have secrets..."

With that simple statement, Van Helsing's rage evaporated. The cold, hard fury that had been etched on his face moments earlier softened. "Will you...will you tell us?"

"Y-Yes..." she said. "But...before I do...would you be so kind as to _remove your hand from around my neck?!_"

Van Helsing quickly released Catherine. She gave him a grateful look, massaged her throat for a moment, then sighed deeply.

"All right...where do I start..?" she said, aloud, but really more to herself than to anyone else. "Well...I suppose I should start with something that's very important..."

Catherine lowered her gaze so she was staring at her feet instead of into Van Helsing and Carl's curious eyes.

"I haven't been very honest with you, Van Helsing. I suppose it's time to rectify that mistake..." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "My...my name is...Catherine Elizabeth Van Helsing. And...Gabriel-I mean Van Helsing...I'm your younger sister..."

-----------

Van Helsing: ...

Catherine: _(waving hands in front of Van helsing and authoress's faces) _Hello? Earth to Van Helsing? Earth to Aurora? Are you guys even listening to me?

_(snaps out of it) Sorry...I'm just...you're his SISTER???_

Catherine: Yes, I am.

_Seriously? You're really his sister? You're not just screwing with us?_

Catherine: Why would I do that?

Van Helsing: ...

_Wow...ladies and gentlemen, Gabriel Van Helsing seems to have been struck speechless for the first time in...forever?_

Catherine: Sounds about right.

_Well...I'm gonna leave you guys here! I'll be back soon!_

Van Helsing: ...You're evil, Aurora, you know that, right?

_(pats Van Helsing on head) Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Hope you all liked! Read and review, please!_


	11. Memories Consumed

_**A/N: **(speaking in deep, important-sounding voice) Ladies and gentlemen...are you ready...for the next chapter of Night Warriors???_

_(crickets chirp in audience) Um...okay...well, thanks a million to **musiclover209 **and **DR. Lust **for their reviews! I'd also like to thank my friend Catty(on Quizilla) for everything she does for my story...not only does she read it, but she makes the BEST banners for it!! WOOT!!!_

_**Disclaimer: **Look, just because Gabriel Van Helsing is my muse, that doesn't mean I own him...but I DO have power over him, now that I think about it..._

Chapter Eleven: Memories Consumed

Catherine's statement shocked both men into silence for what seemed like ages. Finally, Carl recovered enough to stammer out a sentence. "You…you're…V-Van Helsing's…sister?!"

She nodded solemnly, and Carl went back to his open-mouthed shocked staring.

Carl's surprise, however, was _nothing_compared to Van Helsing's shock. _She's…my sister? _He thought to himself. _I have a family? I didn't just…appear on the stairs of St. Peter's seven years ago?_

"I suppose I should have told you sooner," Catherine said. "But…but it's a hard subject to just bring up unexpectedly. I was hoping you would remember me when I appeared to you in South France…but you didn't. I went to the Order, then…they knew me, from the past. I took a job there, and partnered with you on this assignment, hoping to bring back some memories, but…you can't seem to remember anything. Have you truly forgotten everything. Gabriel…have you forgotten even _me_?"

Tears sparkled in Catherine's eyes; her expression was one of the utmost heartbreak. Van Helsing stared at her for a second, then did something he'd never really done before: he walked up to Catherine and embraced her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her. "I…I wish I could remember, but…I can't…"

"I understand, Gabriel," she said. "I know why…someone tampered with your memories, sometime between when I brought you to the Vatican…and when you were discovered…"

She pulled away, her expression now more enraged than upset. "And I know who did it, too…damn that bastard! He must have tampered with your memories after I left!"

"Who?" Carl asked.

"Dracula!" Catherine spat, before slapping herself on the forehead with her hand. "God, I am such an _idiot! _I should have known he would follow me to Rome and attempt something…this is low for even him, though!"

She leaned against a tree trunk, sighing heavily. "Now my own brother…he doesn't remember me…he doesn't remember _anything_…"

"But…what if..?" Carl piped up. "What if you _told_Van Helsing details of his past, Catherine?"

Both Van Helsing and Catherine looked at Carl in confusion, and he began to elaborate, "See, Catherine…I have a thought. Maybe Dracula didn't erase all of Van Helsing's memories…maybe he didn't even erase any of them! Maybe…maybe he only _restricted_ them, found a way to keep his memories, but found a way to, at the same time, keep him from getting to them."

"But wouldn't that have been…undone upon Dracula's death?" Van Helsing asked logically.

Carl shook his head. "The mind works in strange ways, Van Helsing. That's logical thinking, but…the mind isn't always logical. However…perhaps by having Catherine fill in your past, your own memories may return to you!"

For a long moment, silence ruled the clearing. Then, Catherine approached him, grabbed him by the shoulders, and kissed him on both cheeks. Carl's normally ruddy face turned bright red, and he looked as though he would faint at any moment like any maiden in love. Van Helsing stifled a laugh at his expense…he looked so embarrassed.

"Carl, you are truly a genius!" Catherine cried.

"O-Oh, t-thank y-you, C-C-Catherine, it r-really was n-nothing, j-just logical t-t-thinking…" the friar stuttered. "W-Well then, b-back to Fore Manor, I suppose…"

"Actually, back to the _inn_," Van Helsing said. "All of our belongings are there."

"And neither of you have changed in…what, about four days, have you? You both have been at Fore Manor ever since I was injured," Catherine asked, eyeing her two companions. Both nodded in agreement. "Then back to the Vampyre Inn."

She turned and headed towards Strenotia. Van Helsing saw Carl's face fall in disappointment, but he followed her anyways.

---

Catherine carefully shut the door to their small room behind her, blocking all light and leaving the room in darkness. Both men began to stumble around blindly; Van Helsing carefully inched forward, allowing his eyes time to adjust to the lack on light. From nearby, there was a loud _thud_, followed by the sounds of Carl cursing under his breath, having stubbed his toe on something.

Van Helsing located a candle on a bedside table, along with a few matches, and carefully lit it. The flame began to dance on the wick, casting weird, distorted shadows over the walls. Carl flopped down ungracefully on his narrow bed, while Van Helsing carefully sat down on his. Catherine, however, remained standing, standing in front of the small table, which was currently covered in books and papers belonging to Carl.

"Well, let's begin," Carl said.

Catherine sighed. "Right…now, where to start..?"

"How about with a name..?" Van Helsing suggested.

Catherine nodded. "Yes…that seems like a good place to start. Well…you already have our surname: Van Helsing."

"So that really is his last name?" Carl asked.

"Of course," Catherine said. "The Van Helsings are a _real_ family, Carl. A family that has been hunting and exterminating evil for generations. But…I'm digressing here…" She turned her attention back to her brother. "When you were born, you were given the name Gabriel William Van Helsing-"

Suddenly, Carl burst out laughing. Catherine shot Carl an annoyed glare, while Van Helsing stared at his friend in confusion.

"I'm s-sorry…really, I am…but…_William?!_" Carl howled in laughter. "Your middle name is…is William! Oh my God...!"

"I wouldn't be laughing so hard, Carl," Van Helsing commented lightly, leaning against the headboard of the bed. "Especially not if I had a middle name such as yours…Carl _Bartholomew_..."

Carl shut up immediately, and Catherine suddenly doubled over in laughter, clutching her sides. "_Bartholomew?! _Oh, God…oh, your middle name is Bartholomew? That's hilarious…"

Carl blushed furiously for the second time that night, and a rare smile crossed Van Helsing's face, as well as a rare laugh escaped his lips. Catherine kept laughing for a few more minutes, then, she finally sobered a little, straightening up and wiping a small tear from her eye. "I'm sorry, Carl…but that's hilarious. And you should have seen that coming, seeing as you insulted Gabriel about _his _middle name."

Carl sighed. Catherine smirked and continued. "Now, where did I leave off?" Oh, yes…so, your name is Gabriel William Van Helsing-"

"Um…before you continue…I have a question," Carl interrupted for the second time that night. "It's about you, actually…how did you heal so fast? I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but, less than a week ago, you arm was practically ripped open, it was wounded so badly. But…back in the clearing, when Van Helsing removed your bandages, your injury was completely healed…"

Catherine's face suddenly became deadly serious. "That…that's another one of my secrets…"

Carl and Van Helsing looked at Catherine curiously. She sighed and turned away, putting down upon the edge of the table. She sighed at the wall, then glanced over her shoulder at them.

"If I show you…" she said. "Do you _promise _you won't scream?"

Van Helsing gave her a look that said "scream? You must be joking with me", but Carl nodded solemnly.

"Very well, then," Catherine said. "This is why I heal so fast…"

She turned her head away, then, there was a loud ripping noise. A moment later, two enormous, feathery black wings, spanning at least thirteen feet from one wingtip to the other, burst from her shoulder blades. Carl gasped loudly, but, true to his word, he didn't scream. Van Helsing's eyes widened and his eyebrows rose in surprise. Catherine gave another deep sigh, then turned around. To Van Helsing's surprise, her normally-azure eyes were black as midnight.

"You-you're a…" Carl stammered. "You're a demon!"

"No," Catherine said. "I'm a fallen angel."

---------

_Um...Catherine, you're a WHAT?_

Catherine: I'm a fallen angel...what, did you not hear me? Fallen...angel...f-a-l-l-e-n-

_I get the point, Catherine. I'm not stupid and I have the grades to prove it!_

Catherine: All righty then...Gabriel, you know you're free to speak, right?

Van Helsing: _(snapping out of daze) _Huh? Oh, yeah...what are we talking about?

_Hey, Catherine...can I touch your wings?!_

Catherine: Um...all right...

_(goes over and buries face in Catherine's wings) Ah...so smooth...and so soft! I like it! Where can I get wings like these???_

Van Helsing:_(muttering to Catherine) _She's on crack, isn't she?

_I heard that, Gabriel William Van Helsing! I'm NOT on crack! Just a little bit of a soda-and-Rappelz-induced sugar high...and only a little. Besides, have you FELT these wings? They're so soft, and so smooooth...do you use conditioner on them, Catherine?_

Catherine: Um, no...now get off me please...

_You're no fun...Well, I should go...I hope you liked this chapter...isn't that cool, though? Catherine's a fallen angel! Um...right...I hope you liked, and please hit that pretty magical button that brings up a thing for you to say nice things to me! I'll love you and give you Internet cookies! They're fresh out of the oven!_

Van Helsing: Wasn't there something you wanted to mention, Aurora..?

_Um...right! Does this chapter title sound familiar? It should(if you listen to the kind of music I listen to)...tell me the song I found the chapter title in, and the band that does the song(if you would be so kind) and I'll dedicate a chapter to you!_


	12. Angel Theory

_**A/N: **Look out, everybody, another chapter's coming your way! I still don't really get a lot of reviews on this one, but at least I have **musiclover209 **and **Dr. Lust **and their kind reviews! Oh, and because no one could answer the question I had at the end of last chapter, I'll tell you the answer myself: The title "Memories Consumed" was inspired by, borrowed from, whatever you want to call it, **Linkin Park**'s song "**Breaking the Habit**". That's a good song, actually, I'm quite fond of it...anyways, I'll shut up and let you guys read!_

_**Disclaimer: **Nope, still don't own Van Helsing...but I did get my DVD copy back from my friend! YAY!!!_

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Angel Theory

As soon as those words left Catherine's lips, Carl began to murmur rapidly to himself under his breath. Van Helsing, on the other hand, sat on his bed and stared at Catherine-well, rather, he stared at the large wings protruding from her back. A moment passed, and, suddenly, drawn by an overwhelming urge, he stood up, approached Catherine, reached out his hand, and touched her wings. The feathers felt sleek and glossy under his fingers, like ravens' feathers…but they were real, there was no denying that.

Catherine had noticed her brother's approach, and she had felt him touch her wings, but, when she spoke, she was addressing Carl. "Now, I know what you're thinking, Carl…I tell you I'm a fallen angel, and you immediately think of the Devil, the most famous fallen angel of them all. But allow me to enlighten you…there's a difference between the kind of fallen angel Lucifer and his minions are and the kind of fallen angel I am…"

Carl looked over at her in interest. "Really? Fascinating…"

Catherine reached behind her, pulled the chair out from the table, and sat on it. "Yes, a difference as vast as night and day. You see, Lucifer and his minions became fallen angels because they were cast out of Heaven by God. Fallen angels such as that eventually become demons, as Lucifer and his minions became. Fallen angels such as myself are souls of those who have passed on. They were sent back to Earth, in their mortal bodies, but were given wings."

"But why do they return?" Van Helsing asked.

"They return because a deceased loved one pleaded for their soul's return to Earth. Usually, these pleas are made to God when the person whose soul is being pleaded for is dying. However, certain archangels, such as Michael, Raphael, and…" Catherine hesitated for the briefest moment. "…And Gabriel…have also been giving this power…the power to create fallen angels."

"How did you become a fallen angel?" Carl asked. His dark-blue eyes had a shine of excitement in them, like the eyes of a child who was about to hear their favorite bedtime story.

Catherine ran her fingers through her hair. "The hour is late, very late," she commented. "We should all think about calling it a night…"

"But…" Carl whined.

"I'll tell you tomorrow, Carl," she insisted, her voice carrying a tone of finality. Carl nodded, then, he curled up on his bed and was asleep within minutes. Van Helsing shrugged out of his coat, placing it at the foot of the bed, then laid down on his side of the bed. He suddenly realized how tired he was; fatigue took over and he let himself fall into a dream…

---

_Gabriel raised his glass, beaming at Catherine. "So, on this day, I wish you, my dear sister, a wonderful birthday! To Catherine!"_

_Catherine blushed deeply as Gabriel, an older, dark-haired man who looked similar to Gabriel-Randolph Van Helsing, and an older, fair-haired woman with Catherine's brilliant azure eyes-__Cordelia Van Helsing, raised their glasses. They lowered their glasses, then, the meal began. The family talked and laughed lightly, often congratulating Catherine on the __occurrence__ of her twenty-sixth birthday._

_There was a knock on the door, and Anicka, one of the maidservants, dismissed herself from the room to answer the door. A moment later, a blood-chilling scream disrupted the cheery atmosphere of Van Helsing Manor._

_Gabriel, Catherine, Randolph, and Cordelia __immediately__left the table, heading towards the front door. In the front hall, Anicka lay at the feet of two men. Her throat had been viciously slit, her lovely face frozen in shocked horror._

_The two men wore hooded cloaks, though their hoods were down, revealing two faces that looked remorselessly at Anicka. One man held a bloodstained knife in one hand._

_Randolph stepped forward, pushing his wife, adult son, and adult daughter behind him. __"You demons!" he shouted. "What brings you into my home uninvited and brought you to slay an innocent girl?"_

_"You know damn well what brings us here, Van Helsings!" one man shouted. "You slew our brother!"_

_"Your brother was a vampire; a corrupt creature of darkness," Catherine explained calmly, stepping forward to stand beside her father._

_"Our brother was a good man!"the other man shouted. "And now, you shall pay for his death!"_

_Both men charged towards the family, both brandishing knives and screaming for vengeance. Randolph and Gabriel drew daggers to hold off both men, while both women raced to the armory for more weapons._

_One man came for Gabriel, trying to stab him with the knife. Gabriel expertly blocked __the man's knife with his dagger, stopping it from plunging into his heart. However, Randolph was not so lucky…his attacker managed to deflect his blows and drove the knife straight into his heart.__ The man roughly yanked the knife out, causing more blood to stain Randolph's tunic. He groaned softly before collapsing face-down on the floor. Meanwhile, his murderer headed towards the armory; a heartbeat later, it seemed, there was a loud, shrill scream from the armory._

_Gabriel drew his dagger across his attacker's arm, leaving a deep gash in the man's arm. Then, he, too, sprinted to the armory, only to be met by the sight of Cordelia with a knife buried deep in her heart. She slumped to the ground, dead, while her attacker grabbed a sword and turned to face Catherine, bringing the sword down for a final blow. Catherine, however, halted the sword's movements by bringing two crossed draggers up to meet it. While he was distracted by the daggers, Catherine brought her foot up and kicked him squarely in the stomach._

_Suddenly, Gabriel felt a searing pain across his back. He turned and found the other attacker behind him…he had snuck up on him and struck him from behind. _

_Gabriel stifled a yell and kept fighting. The sounds of steel clashing with steel filled the room as both brother and sister fought for their lives…and as vengeance for their slaughtered parents.__After several minutes of tense fighting, Gabriel rendered his attacker unconscious and turned around to help Catherine…just in time to watch her attacker dodge her blow, then ram his stolen sword straight into her stomach, driving it all the way up to the hilt._

_Catherine screamed in pain as the sword pierced her body. The man smirked at her, then roughly withdrew the sword. She clutched at her stomach, blood seeping from between her fingers then, she sank to her knees, doubled over in agony, on the verge of collapsing completely._

_"CATHERINE!!!" he screamed. First, his father…then, his mother…now, his only sister…it was too much. Something inside of him snapped, and, roaring like a savage beast, he lunged at Catherine's attacker and slaughtered him before he could even try to block the attack. Just for good measure, he then slaughtered the other man. After that was done, he dropped his dagger, letting it land harmlessly point-down on the floor, and hurried to Catherine's side, his anger replaced by worry. He dropped to his knees, gently pulling Catherine into his arms and cradling her like an infant._

_"__Catherine? Catherine! Oh, God, no…" he whispered. Tears stung in his eyes and spilled over onto his cheeks. He gently moved Catherine's hands away to get a good look at her injury…but all he could see was blood, it was so bad._

_"Gabriel…" she whispered. "I…I know I'm…n-not supposed t-to fear d-death…" She took a shaky breath. "B-But I do…p-please…du…don't let me d-die l-l-like this…"_

_Suddenly, she broke into a coughing fit, spraying blood on herself, on the floor, and on her brother. After a few moments, her coughs subsided, and her eyes began to close…_

_"Catherine! Catherine! Come on, please, don't die!" Gabriel pleaded, gently smacking her face. "Catherine, please…"_

---

"Gabriel…Gabriel! _Gabriel!!!_"

"VAN HELSING!!!"

Van Helsing sat straight up, roughly shaken from that nightmare, soaked with a cold sweat. Catherine and Carl were both standing at the end of the bed, staring at him in worry. For a moment, his heart continued to beat franticly, but, after a moment, it slowed slightly.

"What happened?" he asked.

"You were having a nightmare," Catherine explained.

"One hell of a nightmare, from the looks of it," Carl added. "You were yelling and thrashing about in your sleep…of course, not like you having nightmares is anything new…"

Catherine punched Carl in the arm for that little comment, and Carl grimaced and rubbed his arm where he'd been punched. Van Helsing, meanwhile, shook his head. "No…this dream was different than the others. It was so vivid…so real…I could almost smell the blood and death…"

He quickly described the entire dream to Carl and Catherine, making sure not to leave out a single detail. Carl's eyes were as wide as platters by the end, and his usually ruddy complexion was unusually ashen. Catherine, however, had turned her head away, as though she was avoiding his gaze. A single tear trickled down her cheek.

"Catherine, what's wrong?" Carl asked.

"Nothing, just…painful memories…" she explained. "Gabriel…that was no dream…it really happened…to our family…God, I didn't realize you remembered it…"

"I didn't," he said. "This was the first time I've ever seen…_that_…what was that, anyways? When-and where-was it?"

"That was the night our parents died…and the hands of two men wanting vengeance," she explained softly. "The night of All Hallows' Eve 1531…and the night I became what I am…"

* * *

_Holy crap, Catherine! 1531?? Are you SERIOUS???_

Catherine: Yes, as a matter of fact, I am quite serious, Aurora.

Van Helsing: That's a little out there, though...if you were 26 in 1531, that would mean you were born in 1505, which, at the time would have made you...let's see, add three, carry the one...384 years old, give or take a year.

_(pulls out calculator) Wow...you're right, Van Helsing. I didn't know you were so good at math..._

Van Helsing: Actually, I didn't even know I was that good at math.

Catherine: Naw, you've always been that good at math, Gabriel...

_Well, I learned one very imporant thing from this chapter..._

Van Helsing: What?

_I've learned to never piss you off unless I have a death wish! _

Catherine: Oh, most definitely. Not only is he good at math, but he's always been very protective of the family...particularly me and Mother...

_Well, I'm gonna leave...seeing as how Van Helsing is apparently good in math, I think I'm going to go introduce him to a little Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus!_

Van Helsing: Oh, like hell you will, Aurora_! (vaults over the back of the couch and sprints up the stairs)_

_(sighs) He seriously needs to learn how to take a joke...anyways, I've gotta go convince my muse that I was kidding! Thanks for reading! I hope you liked! If you do, send me a review! Reviews absolutely make my day!_


	13. Some Things Aren't Logical

_**A/N: **OMG! It's unlucky chapter thirteen!!! Actually, this chapter's not all that unlucky...because I got another reviewer! Many thanks to **writerluv** for the review; I'm so glad you like it! And, of course, how could I forget about my dear reviewers **Dr. Lust **and **musiclover209**! Thanks so much, you guys! You make me feel so great!!!_

_**Disclaimer: **I wish I owned Van Helsing...but I don't...I own everyone you don't recognize, though! So...there's some progress!_

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Chapter Thirteen: Some Things Aren't Logical

"1531?!" Carl gasped. "That-that's impossible! If you and Van Helsing…if you two were alive in the sixteenth century…that would make you both-"

"Around three hundred and fifty years old?" Catherine finished. "Yes, Carl…and no, it's not impossible…"

"But…but…but…but…" Carl stammered. He had heard so many things tonight, each one less logical than the last. First, Catherine was Van Helsing's sister…then, she turned out to be a fallen angel…now, both she and Van Helsing had been alive for at least three and a half centuries! "God, I need some…some _logic! _All of this is simply and highly illogical!"

"Carl, _life_ is illogical," Catherine said. "I know that none of this makes sense or seems possible…but some things just aren't logical…"

"Catherine…" Van Helsing spoke up softly. "What year were we born?"

Catherine stopped her conversation with Carl and cast a glance at her brother. "Well…I was born in 1505. You were born five years earlier, in 1500. Why do you ask?"

"I can understand how you've lived that long…you've already told us that you're not human," he said. "But how can I have that long? After all, I _am _only human…"

Catherine gave a snort of laughter. "You? Human? No, my dear brother…I never said you were just a mortal, Gabriel…and that's because you're not."

"He's not?"

"I'm not?"

Catherine shook her head. "No, Gabriel…this may not make sense, but…trust me, I know what I'm talking about. Gabriel…you're a human incarnation of the Left Hand of God."

Carl's eyes grew even huger than they already were. "Y-You don't m-mean..?"

"The archangel Gabriel," Catherine said solemnly, almost reverently. "Yes…as I matter of fact, I do."

Carl's face paled to a milk-white shade, and he looked a weak in the knees. Catherine grabbed the chair from the table, dragged it over, and forced Carl to sit down. Carl then proceeded to lower his head into his hands, still looking as though he was going to pass out at any second. Van Helsing, on the other hand, gave a small, disbelieving chuckle.

"Me?" he asked. "A human incarnation of the Left Hand of God? Impossible…"

"Is it, now?" Catherine asked, sitting on the end of Van Helsing's bed, brushing a strand of hair out of her face as she did. "It's not a joke, Gabriel…you really _are_ the archangel. Think about it…the body of a man…the soul of an angel…is that really so hard to believe?"

Van Helsing took a minute to think that over. It did sound a little hard to believe, but…hadn't Dracula once said something about him being the Left Hand?

_…It must be such a burden…such a _curse_…to be the Left Hand of God…_Dracula's words, the ones from their final battle, came to his mind. Had Dracula somehow known, too?

Catherine seemed to be saying something…but no sound seemed to be coming from her mouth. Van Helsing's vision seemed to cloud over as he became lost in a memory…a continuation of his earlier dream…

---

_"Catherine! Catherine! Come on, please, don't die!" Gabriel pleaded. "Catherine, please…"_

_She didn't respond to his pleas. For one awful moment, he feared she had died, right there__ in his arms. However, he heard her take a shallow, shaky breath. She was alive…but just barely. Gabriel bowed his head, allowing tears to stain his face. There was nothing he could do for Catherine…she would be dead from her injuries within minutes, leaving him as the sole survivor of his family's massacre._

_A light breeze came from nowhere, stirring strands of his dark hair slightly. He lifted his head; he swore he could hear a voice in the breeze._

Gabriel… _the feminine, musical voice whispered in his ear. _Her time is not meant to be up yet…you can save her...

_"But…how?" he whispered. The voice sounded so familiar, like a long-lost friend…and it was so beautiful, so angelic…and whoever it was, they knew how to save Catherine…_

Look within yourself, Gabriel…use the power within you to save her…

_He nodded; his brown eyes suddenly faded to a light silvery-blue color. Once ag__ain, he bowed, but this time, it__ was not in defeat; it was more in __a fervent prayer. He began to speak softly in an ancient, long-lost tongue that hadn't been used by anyone in the better part of thousands of years. As he spoke, he was suddenly surrounded by a heavenly glow…and if one were to look close enough, they might swear that he had wings…like an angel…He continued to speak in that strange tongue, speaking an incantation as old as the Earth itself…_

_…Here, in this, a solemn hour,  
__By the high archangel's power,  
__This soul, redeemed from Death's door,  
__Shall live on Earth forevermore  
__Bound to duty, with wings of black,  
__Only to return when called back,  
__I grant thee life, in thy time of need,  
__Now, awaken, dear child, awaken for me!_

_A heavenly sort of glow began to surround Catherine. Her eyes flew open, the azure irises becoming midnight black. The wound on her stomach began to heal over, and, within minutes, it was as though the wound had never been there. Her eyes closed again as Gabriel ended his incantation, and suddenly everything-the glow surrounding both siblings and Gabriel'__s wings-completely__ vanished. His eyes, however, remained that strange silvery-blue, watching Catherine's still form, which was __lying__ limply in his arms._

_A moment later, a small groan escaped Catherine's lips. Her eyes opened, blue once again, and she stared up at Gabriel._

_"Gabriel..?" she whispered. "You-your eyes…it's…_you_…"_

_He gave her a warm smile. "There is nothing to fear, my child. I will bring your brother back to you in a moment."_

_"You…saved my life…" Catherine whispered._

_"No…" he said. "I granted you a new one…"_

_"Thank you…Gabriel…"_

_His eyes slowly faded back to the familiar brown hue of her brother's eyes. He looked down at her in surprise. "Catherine…you're alive!"_

_"It was him…the archangel…he saved me…" she whispered to him._

_He gave a solemn nod, then cast a glance around the room, which had so recently been the place where a massacre had occurred. He could smell blood and death lingering in the air. "We should get out of here."_

_She nodded, and both siblings got to their feet, Catherine requiring a fair deal of help from her brother. __Gabriel grabbed a sword and strapped it to his waist, while Catherine picked up her bow-which Gabriel had given to her on her sixteenth birthday-and slung a quiver of arrows over her shoulders. Then, with Catherine leaning on him heavily, he returned to the front hall, opened the large doors, and led them both out into the night._

_---_

"Gabriel…Gabriel…Gabriel William Van Helsing!"

Someone was shaking him, and calling his full name. He blinked, and everything came back into focus, including Catherine. Currently, her face was less than six inches away from his, her eyes practically boring into his.

"God…don't scare me like that again!" she scolded, giving him another little shake. "You hadn't spoken once for the better part of an hour, I thought something was wrong with you!"

"It was him…the archangel…" Van Helsing said slowly, echoing Catherine's words from that nightmarish night, as well as informing Catherine as to what he had seen while he had been off in his own little world, as it were. "It was him who made him into a fallen angel."

"Yes," Catherine said. "As I said earlier, certain archangels had been given the power to create fallen angels. Gabriel is one of them. Therefore, he was able to save me."

"You acted as though you…_knew_ him, though," Van Helsing said. He was beginning to feel tired, but there were so many unanswered questions, so much he had to learn… "You and I…it was like we both knew that I had the soul of the Left Hand of God…"

"That's because we did," Catherine said, rubbing her face in a tired manner. "Mother and Father told both of us as children, when they thought we were old enough. They themselves knew about you…but I've long since forgotten how they knew…" She glanced out the window. "It's almost sunrise. I say we all try to get some sleep."

Carl nodded, then stumbled over to his bed and laid down, casting a very strange look at Van Helsing before curling up with his back to the hunter. Van Helsing moved to the other side of the bed, making room for Catherine. She tugged the threadbare curtains over the windows, snuffed out the candles, and curled up on her side of the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

Van Helsing thought that, after all he had seen and heard that night, he would be awake all day long. However, as he lay there, staring at the ceiling, sleep gently overtook him, and he found himself falling into a deep and thankfully dreamless sleep.

* * *

Van Helsing: _(sighs happily) _Thank God. A dreamless sleep...for once! 

_I take it you don't really get a lot of those, huh?_

Van Helsing: You have _no _idea...

_I can't believe it...you're really the Left Hand of God! Well...a human incarnation of him, I guess you can say...boy do I feel...kinda in awe and kinda afraid..._

Catherine:_(returns to the table) _Believe it, authoress...he's really the Left Hand of God...good thing his name's Gabriel!

Van Helsing: This is true, very true...I didn't know that there were archangels capable of making people into fallen angels, though...

_Um...I kinda said that in my last chapter...were you even paying attention?_

Van Helsing: No. I was too busy trying to keep you from making me do your math homework, remember?

_(blushes) Heh-heh...no hard feelings, right?_

Van Helsing: Nah...I got you back by hitting you with that English textbook-

Catherine: _(interrupting) _Gee, that was nice and gentlemanly of you, Gabriel!

Van Helsing: _(ignoring Catherine)_-By the way...that's an interesting incantation you have...the one you have for creating fallen angels. What song did you "borrow" it from, Aurora?

_(grabs Spanish-to-English dictionary lying on table and smacks Van Helsing with it) I resent that, Gabriel William Van Helsing! I didn't "borrow" it from anyone! I made it up myself! The only "borrowing" I did was the phrase "a solemn hour", and that I borrowed from Within Temptation's "Our Solemn Hour" and "The Heart of Everything"! The rest is completely original! And I'm damn proud of it, especially because I can be a rather suck-tacular poet and lyricist when it comes down to it! So don't insult my work!(smacks him with dictionary again)_

Van Helsing: Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! Please don't kill me!

_(sighs angrily) I could never do that, my lovely muse...I love you too much...I'll accept your apology...hug?_

Van Helsing: All right...

_Well, I'll leave you guys here...Van Helsing and I are going to go hug and make up! Hope you guys liked this crazy and very revealing chapter! Please review if you liked; reviews really make my day(plus, they may make the chapters come faster, hint, hint!)!_


	14. A Hairy Situation

_**A/N: **Hello and Happy (almost) Thanksgiving to everyone! Well, because I got out of school early, I managed to update Night Warriors! I was almost worried I wouldn't be able to, as one of my muses(cough, cough, Gabriel, cough) left for a while...um, that's a story for later...anyways, many thanks to **writerluv, musiclover209, **and, of course, **Dr. Lust **for their great reviews!_

_**Disclaimer: **Nope...I still don't own Van Helsing...but anyone you don't recognize I do own...more than likely!_

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Chapter Fourteen: A Hairy Situation

All three of them slept straight through the day and into the evening as well. In fact, it was close to midnight before Van Helsing, Carl, and Catherine left the inn and headed into the forest, looking for werewolves. They had stuck together the other day, but tonight, they split up, to cover more ground.

It wasn't long before Van Helsing's observant eyes found something: Marks scratched in a tree trunk, four of them. They looked like they had made by something with long claws…which a werewolf would more than qualify for having. And, as if to prove their new quarry was a werewolf, there was a set of footprints nearby too large to belong to anything _but _a werewolf.

Van Helsing kneeled to observe the tracks closer, then straightened up and let a smirk creep over his face. It was time for some action. "Carl…I think we've found one."

He moved to follow the footprints on the ground. Behind him, Carl tried and failed to stifle a groan, gathered up his things, and followed after the hunter.

The footprints wove all over the place, as though their quarry had been trying to elude another predator. At times, the prints would stop near a tree trunk, and the next set of prints would be at least a good fifteen yards away. The trees themselves would be covered with scratches, as though this werewolf had been scrambling to try to get up the tree. Van Helsing couldn't help but wonder what this werewolf was running from…or _who _it was running from.

He had been tracking for about half an hour when rustle in a nearby bush caught his attention. He drew his revolver from its holster…just as a large werewolf emerged from the bushes, standing up on its back legs.

It was at least seven to seven and a half feet tall, and from its muscled build, Van Helsing could tell it was a male werewolf. His fur was black as pitch, and his golden eyes gleamed with the cunning and intelligence of a human.

Van Helsing cocked his revolver, readying it to fire. The turned his head at the sound, and when he saw Van Helsing, he gave a low whimper. His ears flattened against his head, then, he growled softly at Van Helsing, giving a warning.

Carl looked as though he was about to wet himself at the sight of the angered werewolf, but the hunter stood his ground. He could see it in the werewolf's eyes-the creature _feared_ him. He raised his gun to fire…but before he could, the werewolf lunged forward and knocked the gun from his grip before knocking him to the forest floor. The werewolf then planted his oversized front paws on Van Helsing's shoulders, pinning him to the forest floor. He growled again, flashing his sharp teeth.

But he didn't know that Van Helsing still had a few tricks up his sleeve…literally. He slipped a silver dagger out of his coat's sleeve, then used it to open a gash in the werewolf's forehead. He howled in pain and let go of Van Helsing, allowing him to get to his feet. After a moment, the werewolf stopped howling, and it glared angrily at him. It crouched low, in a more defensive position, its ears flat against its head again, and it took a step to the left. The hunter responded by crouching down slightly and taking a step to _his_ left. They circled each other as each planned their next move.

The werewolf moved first, springing forward towards Van Helsing. He ducked out of the way, but four retractable claws dug into his right shoulder, slicing through his coat, vest, sweater, and into his skin. At the same time, his dagger sliced into the werewolf's arm. He howled again, then disappeared from Van Helsing's view.

Van Helsing stood completely still, waiting. His shoulder ached from the werewolf's claws, and could feel warm blood soaking his sweater around the wound. His eyes quickly darted over to the wound, and he found four rips in the shoulder of his coat, along with a little bit of blood staining his coat. He decided that it looked worse than it really was, and he continued to wait for the werewolf to reappear…

A slight rustle overhead caught his attention. He waited for a moment, then jumped out of the way…just as the werewolf came falling from a tree overhead, landing where he had been standing only moments earlier. The wolf crashed to the ground, and, after a moment, he slowly sat up, looking a little dazed. But that moment was all it took for Van Helsing to find his revolver, cock the hammer, and point it at the werewolf's heart. His finger gently tapped the trigger, preparing to fire…

"Gabriel, _no!!!_"

A flash of black crossed his view, and next thing he knew, Catherine was crouched in front of a werewolf, trying to shield the massive creature with her smaller, lithe form. However, she was in the path of the bullet meant for the werewolf.

"Catherine, move!" he ordered.

"No!" she cried, tears sparkling in her eyes. "Gabriel…please…don't shoot him!"

He lowered his gun slightly, staring at Catherine in confusion. She claimed slaying werewolves and other unholy creatures of the night was her job, and yet, here she was, pleading him to spare the life of one.

_Why is it that the women I know always seem to have a soft spot for werewolves? _He wondered, almost jokingly despite the seriousness of the situation. "Catherine…" he said softly, hoping to reason with her. "He's a werewolf…"

"I don't care!" she screamed. "You can't kill him! You do, Gabriel, and I to God swear I'll never forgive you for it!"

Silence ruled the area of trees for a moment; tension was so thick in the air that one would need an axe to cut it. Then, Van Helsing uncocked the hammer, lowered his revolver, and holstered it. Catherine sighed in relief, releasing the breath she'd been holding…her brother wasn't going to kill him…

The werewolf let out a sigh of relief, too…in fact, he seemed to be _shrinking_. The black fur on his body slowly retracted, revealing cream-colored skin that was streaked with dirt, blood, and God only knew what else. The fur on his head retracted, too, until only a mane of messy, chin-length black hair remained. His muzzle slowly shrank back into a human's mouth and nose, while his golden eyes became a dark hazel instead.

Catherine turned to face him, and he reached out, wiping a few stray tears from her face. "There, there, my love…don't cry…everything's all right…" he whispered; he had a Romanian accent as thick as molasses.

"You're bleeding," she said, gently stroking his forehead, which still sported a bloody gash from Van Helsing's dagger.

"It's all right…" he softly reassured her. He turned to Van Helsing, then climbed to his feet. Van Helsing saw that he was tall, though significantly shorter than he was, and, at the moment, only a pair of ripped, torn pants preserved his decency. He gave Van Helsing a somewhat-amused look. "Sweet Moon, Van Helsing, for a moment I thought you were actually going to try to shoot me!"

"Who are you?" Van Helsing, trying and succeeding in not sounding rude.

Catherine stood up next to him, and she placed an arm around his waist. He responded by wrapping his arms around Catherine's waist and planting a quick kiss on the top of her head.

"My name is Alexsei Dunkirk, Van Helsing," he introduced himself. "And Catherine and I…well…"

"We've been married for about five years now," Catherine said.

Van Helsing's eyebrows rose in surprise, but Carl's face fell in disappointment. "You're…married..?" he asked sadly.

Catherine nodded and held up her left hand. On her ring finger was a simple golden wedding ring. Van Helsing noticed that Alexsei bore a similar ring on his left hand as well. Now, Van Helsing understood Catherine's seemingly-irrational outburst earlier…he had almost killed her husband! "I am terribly sorry," he said, his voice ringing with sincerity.

Alexsei shook his head. "No trouble…I tried to transform, to tell you I meant no harm…"

Suddenly, his face grew dark and serious. "No…I was running…from _them_…Catherine…Van Helsing…and you, the friar…we need to leave! Now! If they find us…"

"They?" Carl stammered. "Who are _they_?"

Suddenly, there was a shout from nearby. Suddenly, three large, dark werewolves, as well as one man with long, white-blonde hair tied at the base of his neck, emerged from the nearby bushes and trees, surrounding the group.

"There you are!" the man shouted, pointing to Alexsei. Van Helsing caught a glimpse of unnaturally-long canines as the man spoke, and knew instantly they were also dealing with a vampire. "So, you _were _keeping in the company of these-" His face hardened as he glared at both brother and sister, and he practically spat out the last word. "-_murderers_. Traitor!"

The three werewolves roared in agreement. Alexsei's face paled slightly, and a bead of sweat, tainted with blood from his wound, trickled down from his forehead. "Oh, hellfire…"

* * *

_You know, I was worried I wouldn't get this up by today, because guess what: Van Helsing just disappeared on me a few days ago! But...funny story...I was in History class yesterday, studying for my next test(snoozefest but I digress) when suddenly, Van Helsing just appears out of nowhere! Needless to say, everyone, especially me and my teacher-were surprised...but hey, I got my muse back!_

Van Helsing: _(runs a hand through his hair) _Sorry about that...

Catherine: Where were you, anyways?

Van Helsing: Nowhere in particular...so, you're really married, Catherine?

Catherine: Oh, yeah...Alexsei and I've been married for about five years, but we've been seeing each other for...a long time, let's just say...

_Right...well, say hi to our resident werewolf, Alexsei!_

Alexsei: _(approaches authoress from behind and gives her a huge hug) _Hiya, everyone! Gabe...my lovely Kitty...and hello to you, Aurora!

_Wha-? Wha-? Alexsei, how in seven hells did you get in here? I locked the door today, I know it! I saw me do it!_

Alexsei: I know. I came in through the window! _(points to huge, werewolf-sized and werewolf-shaped hole in wall where a wndow **used **to be)_

_(goes pale) Oh...dear God...mom's going to...kill me...(eyes roll back in head; goes into a dead faint)_

Van Helsing: Woah! _(catches swooning authoress) _Um...nice going, Wolf-Boy...

Alexsei: Um...whoops...my bad...I didn't mean to do that...

Catherine: Well, then...looks like I'll have to give the little send-off, seeing as our authoress is currently unconscious. All right...Um..._(pulls out piece of paper with announcements written on it) _Here we go! Um...okay, she's got another contest for you! It says this: Everyone-or at least you major Van Helsing fans-probably knows that "Gabriel" means "God is my strength"...and some of you probably know that my name, "Catherine", means "pure". But what about Alexsei? So, in honor of Alexsei's addition to our "family" she wants to know: What does the name "Alexsei" mean? She says you are allowed to look it up if you so desire...but she says that it may be spelled differently if you do look it up...um...winner will win their choice of either A) A sneak peek of the next story, or B) A short Night Warriors-based drabble, along with a chapter dedication! Wow, she's finally got some decent prizes!

Van Helsing: You'd better be happy she's unconscious right now or you'd be so screwed, Catherine...

Alexsei: _(shakes head) _Oh, boy...anyways, if she was conscious, I think she'd say she's gotta go break those two up before they start World War III! So...um...bye!


	15. Overcome

_**A/N: **Well, thanks to a TLC from my muses, the reviews, and **writerluv's **um..._"encouragement"..._I'm back, conscious, and have finally finished the next chapter! First things first: Congratulations to my contest winner, my dear friend **Dr. Lust, **you gave me the correct answer! Hell, I recieved a better answer from her than the one I had! Anyways, Alexsei is a Russian name that mean "to protect", but apparently, it's also Greek for "defender"(I only got the only the Russian meaning of it, and that's because I had to Google it). So congrats, and thanks to **Dr. Lust, musiclover209, **and **writerluv **for the reviews!_

_**Disclaimer: **I did put the rights to Van Helsing on my Christmas wish list...but, seeing as christmas hasn't come yet, I don't know if I got it or not, so I still don't own Van Helsing...

* * *

**This chapter is dedicated to Dr. Lust, my contest winner! Congratulations!**_

**

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**

Chapter Fifteen: Overcome

The vampire took a step forward, smiling wickedly at Alexsei's paling face. "You _should _be nervous, blood traitor," he mocked. "Associating with murderers such as the Van Helsings? Dear me…I believe Sirius would consider that _treason_, Alexsei. And you know the punishment for treason…"

He took another step forward, unsheathing a silver dagger as he did. Alexsei took a step back, but the vampire lunged, forcefully grabbed him, and pressed the tip of the dagger to Alexsei's throat.

"The punishment is _death_…" he hissed in delight.

There was a flash of black, and suddenly, the vampire was sent to the ground, sprawling out on the leaves. His dagger flew from his hand, landing harmlessly on the forest floor. Catherine stood before Alexsei, hands clenched into fists and face livid with fury. The black of her pupils seemed to be spreading out over her irises, slowly washing out the blue until her eyes were midnight-black.

"Don't you _ever _threaten my husband again, you bloodsucking bastard!" she shouted. "Or I promise you that death will be a sweet release after the agony I put you through!"

The vampire glared up at Catherine, his eyes fading to an icy blue. "Meddling brat!" he spat at Catherine. "If you had known what was good for you, you would have stayed out of what doesn't concern you!"

"If it concerns my husband, then it concerns me as well!" Catherine snapped. Her wings unfurled from her back, and she lunged at the vampire, bringing out two small, skinny, black things from her corset. They opened as the vampire dodged her attacks, causing her to land hard on the forest floor, and Van Helsing saw that they were two black folding fans, not so different from the ones women of society would carry. However, unlike those fans, these fans had shining silver edges and clearly were meant to be weapons…

_Almost like the tojo blades I possess… _Van Helsing thought to himself.

Through the vampire and Catherine's actions, a fight had officially begun. Van Helsing found himself face-to-face with an eight-foot-tall male werewolf, snarling fiercely and exposing inch-and-a-half long canines practically dripping with the werewolf venom. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Carl scurry off behind a tree for safety, while Alexsei was left to face the two remaining werewolves-a smaller male and a female, judging by their builds. Alexsei's eyes turned a bright golden color, and a guttural snarl tore itself from his lips. Then, he leapt forward, an explosion of black fur as his skin tore away, letting loose the beast beneath. He began to fight the two werewolves; fierce growls and loud whimpers erupted from the fighting mass of fur, claws, and teeth.

While Van Helsing was distracted, the werewolf he was facing made its move. Four retractable claws once again dug into Van Helsing's right shoulder, re-opening the wound Alexsei had made and digging even deeper this time. A hiss of pain escaped the hunter's lips, and more blood stained his clothes. The scent of freshly-spilt blood seemed to send the werewolf into a frenzy; he began attacking fervently now, driven by a lust for blood.

Van Helsing drew the silver dagger he had been using earlier and used it to fight back. He fought fiercely for several minutes before managing to open a large, jagged wound in the werewolf's side. He gave a brief howl of pain, then redoubled his attacks.

Catherine, too, was fighting fiercely; she was an experienced and well-trained fighter, but her inhuman adversary had preternatural strength and speed. After what seemed like hours of fighting, she managed to sink the bladed edges of one of her fans deeply into the vampire's shoulder. He retaliated by clawing her across the face, his sharpened nails leaving four gashes across her cheek.

The hellish battle continued this way, and there seemed to be no end in sight, until…

"Cease and desist!" a loud, feminine voice rang out over the sounds of the fighting. The fighting instantly stopped, and all four werewolves-Alexsei included-fell to one knee, bowing their heads in respect. The vampire didn't fall to his knees like his more feral companions, but he did give a gentlemanly and respectful bow. Both Van Helsing and Catherine began to look around, searching for the speaker whom had stopped the battle.

A young woman, perhaps about Catherine's age, emerged from between the trees. She was wearing a pristine white dress with a low, revealing neckline. It stopped right above her knees, showing off her legs in a way considered very immodest, almost scandalous, in fact, but she didn't seem to care. But, while it was cut off in the front, it was full-length in the back, flowing out into a white train that trailed over the leaves; she wore no shoes, leaving her feet exposed and at the mercy of the forest floor. Snow-white hair flowed over her fair shoulders like a waterfall, while vivid jade-colored eyes took in the scene before her. She nodded acknowledgingly to the werewolves and the vampire, who returned to their feet.

"My Master wishes for no more blood to be spilt tonight," she commanded. "He says to save your energy, your passion-and your blood-for when it _really _matters…"

Her eyes lit up when she saw Van Helsing. She slowly approached him, then stopped when she was intimately close, their bodies less than six inches from each other. "Ah…the great Gabriel Van Helsing…yes, my Master has _quite _the _interest_ in you, my dear hunter…" She noticed Van Helsing's injury, which was still bleeding lightly, and she trailed a long, slim finger over it in a light, seductive fashion. She brought her finger away, then placed the tip of it, which was stained with the hunter's blood, into her mouth. She then proceeded to lick the blood off, her eyes burning golden as she savored the hunter's blood. She leaned in even closer, her words coming out in a breathy whisper. "Yes…he looks forward to meeting you, Mr. Van Helsing…and I look forward to meeting you _again_…"

She abruptly turned away, then strode back towards the direction she'd come from, pausing only long enough to snarl softly at Alexsei and Catherine, who were currently wrapped in each other's embrace. She then disappeared back into the trees; in the blink of an eye, the vampire and the werewolves were gone, too.

---

"Alexsei, who exactly was that woman? And how did she know me?" Van Helsing asked as they trudged through the forest, heading back towards town. While Carl looked no worse for wear, everyone else _did_: Van Helsing's clothes were stained with blood from both him and the werewolf he had fought, Catherine was covered with blood, her wings-which were also stained with blood-were open behind her back, and she had four healing gashes across her cheek, and Alexsei was wearing next to nothing and had several gashes on his exposed chest and face.

"Her name is Adolpha," Alexsei said, grimacing as one of the wounds on his chest began to heal over. "She's Sirius's mate, or his wife, or however you prefer to think of it. Either way, she's still the alpha-female of the pack I belong to-Sirius's pack…"

"And she knows you, Gabriel, simply because of who you are," Catherine added as she closed her fans and tucked them back into her corset. "She knows of our entire family-in fact, amongst werewolves, we're as lethal as silver and even being _associated _with us is considered treason-but you, my dear brother, have reached a level of…_renown _amongst the cursed creatures since your defeat of Dracula…"

They were close to the village now; they could hear voices from the villages. The voices were shouting and giving cries of distress, and it sent a chill of foreboding down everyone's spines.

"That _can't _be good," Carl said.

Catherine nodded, then folded her wings into her back so as to not draw attention to herself amongst the villagers. "Come on," she said. "Let's go."

They hurried through the forest, until they broke through the trees to the village's edge, only to be met by a chaotic scene.

* * *

Alexsei: You know, Aurora, it's not very nice to keep leaving everyone with these cliffhangers...

_Alexsei, clearly, you have a lot to learn...ninety-eight percent of the time, I will leave a cliffhanger at the end of a chapter. Ask one of my more experienced muses..._

Alexsei: Fine, I will. _(turns to Van Helsing) _Gabriel, does she always leave cliffhangers?

Van Helsing: _(looks up from copy of Queen of the Damned) _Most of the time, yeah. Why do you ask?

Alexsei:_(turns to Catherine) _Hey, Kitty...does she always leave cliffhangers?

Catherine: Yep..._(examines tojo-blade-fan-things) _By the way, thanks for the fans! They rock! Boy, I'll be doing some serious damage to any werewolf or vampire that crosses my path!

Van Helsing: _(eyes fans nervously) _Are you _sure _it was a good idea gving her those?

_Well, Stephan Sommers gave you tojo blades...Catherine needs something to defend herself with! But no using them in the house, Catherine!_

Catherine: _(huffs) _Fine! I'll just go outside!_(goes down stairs and out door)_

Alexsei: I'm gonna go make sure she doesn't hurt herself...or anyone else for that matter..._(goes downstairs and out door behind Catherine)_

_So...we're all alone now, Van Helsing..._

Van Helsing: We are? _(looks around) _That we are! I didn't realize that...

_Yeah...wanna play Disney Scene It?_

Van Helsing: You're on! _(runs over to TV and loads disc into DVD player)_

_Well, me and my remaining muse-for the tme being; Catherine and Alexsei will be back soon-are gonna go play Disney Scene It-watch me kick Van Helsing's butt! Anyways...hope you enjoyed! Read and review, please, if you wanna find out what happens next!_


	16. The Lost Valerious

_**A/N: **Hey guys! Yeah, I know I kept you waiting...and I know I left a major cliffhanger last time! Sorry about that...I had this research paper due in my Theatre class. But, now, I've turned it in, and I've done my speech on it, so it's over, done with, and GONE!!! So...here's chapter sixteen! As always, thanks to **writerluv, musiclover209, **and **Dr. Lust, **my dear reviewers!_

_**Disclaimer: **Nope...still don't own Van Helsing...grr...

* * *

_Chapter Sixteen: The Lost Valerious

The villagers of Strenotia were all in a panic, running around like chickens with their heads lopped off. Men were yelling at each other, women were whispering fervent prayers, and children were crying.

"What the hell is going on?" Alexsei asked, his hazel eyes wide with surprise.

Van Helsing grabbed a man by his shoulder as he ran past. "Sir," he said, his voice the epitome of calm. "Could you kindly explain what's going on?"

The man didn't answer. Instead, he pulled away from Van Helsing, then continued running down the street, yelling and cursing profusely.

"Well, that went well…" Carl commented dryly.

"Carl…" Van Helsing growled in a tone that indicated he wasn't in the mood for sarcasm.

"Oh, for the love of _God_…" Catherine murmured. "You two…here, let me handle this…"

Catherine approached a woman who was kneeling on the ground, her face in her hands and her shoulders shaking. Catherine kneeled before the woman and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The woman raised her tear-stained face from her hands.

"Pardon me," Catherine said softly. "But could you tell us what's going on?"

"T-They took h-him!" she sobbed, wiping at her eyes with a hand. That same hand was clutching a wooden rosary, which was shaking due to the violent trembling of her hand. "T-Those b-beasts…they s-s-slaughtered Magistrate d-de Fore! T-They a-attacked h-him and d-dragged him o-off i-into the f-forest! Oh, God…who w-will protect u-us now? O-Our leader is d-dead!"

She gave an anguished wail and buried her face in her hands again. A troubled look crossed Catherine's face. "When did this happen?"

"No m-more than a-an h-hour ago…" she whimpered. "N-Near the t-town s-square…"

Catherine nodded, then stood up and approached Carl, Van Helsing, and Alexsei. She spoke to Alexsei. "The town square. Look for blood."

He nodded, then bounded off towards town. Van Helsing gave his sister a confused look. "What happened?"

"Edward de Fore," Catherine said. "The villagers say he's been murdered…presumably by werewolves."

A knot of cold dread formed in Van Helsing's stomach. The werewolves had murdered Edward? Clearly, Sirius was eager to make the presence of him and his pack known. Out of respect, Van Helsing made the Sign of the Cross-as did Catherine-while Carl mumbled a quick Latin prayer for Edward's soul.

Alexsei returned, then, but he didn't say anything. He simply looked Catherine in the eye and nodded. She sighed heavily. "Come on. Back to the inn. We need to talk…_now_."

---

"So Edward de Fore was _really _murdered by werewolves?" Carl asked worriedly.

Alexsei yanked the grey sweater-which he had borrowed from his brother-in-law due to his lack of clothes-over his head. "It was definitely his blood I found in the town square. And I caught the scent of wolves nearby…a werewolf can always tell the scent of his brethren."

"Then we're in a whole mess of trouble, aren't we?" Carl asked.

"Pretty much," Catherine said, abandoning her perch on the desk to pace back and forth. "Sirius is tired of hiding…he's gone from murdering villagers to murdering the town magistrate…"

"Which makes it seem as though he's trying to destroy this village from the inside out," Van Helsing said thoughtfully. "Or he's trying to lure us to come after him…to destroy _us_…"

Carl looked somewhat impressed. "Wow…I must say, this is one crafty werewolf we're up against, isn't it?"

"Actually, Carl, werewolves are crafty by nature," Alexsei said as he sat on Carl's bed. The bed groaned loudly, as if protesting. "That's what happens when you combine the best of man with the best of beast. And we _need _to be crafty if we intend to get food or avoid werewolf hunters…"

"I think Gabriel's right…I think Sirius is trying to lead us to him," Catherine spoke up. "We all heard Adolpha today, in the forest… 'He looks forward to meeting you, Mr. Van Helsing'. That implies that Sirius clearly intends to encounter us sooner or later…"

Van Helsing nodded in agreement. "Indeed…and, as his warriors have shown us, we're not just up against _werewolves_…we've got _vampires _to worry about, too…That's definitely a problem. It's four of us-though, I really should say three, seeing as _one _of us doesn't even fight-" He shot Carl a pointed look, and Carl's eyes darted elsewhere so that he was no longer making eye contact with the hunter. "-Against God knows how many werewolves and vampires. Basically put…we need assistance."

Everyone in the room nodded, and a small smile pulled at Catherine's lips. "And I know just the person…"

---

Van Helsing's brow knit in confusion when-at sunset two days later-Catherine led them into the familiar old village of Vaseria.

Carl shifted slightly in his saddle. "This is…this is Anna's village, isn't it?! What are we doing _here_?"

"I know someone who can help us," Catherine said, leading the group and their horses through the streets. The village looked the same as it had nearly eight months ago: Old buildings, some of which were deteriorating, dirt streets, and bright lights coming from windows, suggesting that Vaseria's citizens were just beginning the night.

Memories began to surface in Van Helsing's mind, all of them involving Anna. A small, tight lump formed in his throat, but he pushed those memories aside, swallowed hard, and concentrated on the here and now.

Catherine dismounted near Vaseria's cemetery, the same one where Van Helsing had _nearly _been killed by Velkan…and where he and Anna had had their first intimate moment.

_Well, if one counts trying to shoot her brother, screaming at her, and trying to choke her as _intimate_… _he thought with a small smirk as he dismounted. He didn't understand why they were in Vaseria's cemetery-hell, he didn't understand why they were in Vaseria at _all_- but he didn't bother questioning Catherine. She seemed to know what she was doing.

Catherine stopped at the door of a medium-sized crypt. Van Helsing as slightly surprised; he didn't remember seeing a crypt in the cemetery. Catherine paused on the door, and it creaked open. Van Helsing glanced up, to the large expanse of stone above the door, to see whose crypt they were trespassing in, but before he could read the name that was carved up there, Catherine pulled him into the crypt.

It was all other crypts he'd been in: The interior was dark, chilly, and stank of death. The walls were divided into coffin-sized compartments, and many of them were occupied by coffins. A rather large wooden coffin occupied the middle of the crypt, forcing the group to gather around it. Catherine lowered her head, until it was resting atop the coffin in the middle, as though she were listening for something _inside _the coffin. After a moment, she lifted her head and nodded at Alexsei. He grinned, and together, they put their hands on opposite sides of the coffin's lid.

"Um…Catherine, Alexsei…what in the name of all that is holy are you-?" Carl began.

Suddenly, Catherine and Alexsei shoved the lid of the coffin all the way off, allowing it to crash to the floor loudly. The sudden movements stirred up huge clouds of dust that made everyone choke and cough.

A voice spoke out…a voice that seemed to be coming from _inside _the coffin. The voice-which, judging by tone and pitch, belonged to a very agitated female- began yelling and what sounded like cursing in Romanian. After a moment, she switched to English. "Damn it to Hell, can't I get _any _peace around here?!" she yelled, her musical voice with its thick Romanian accent sounding oh so familiar to the hunter… "Dracula, I swear to God if you're here to try to convince me to become one of your bride-whores, I will-"

Van Helsing didn't hear the rest of the threat. That voice…it was so familiar…He recognized it; it made his heart skip a beat, made his breath catch in his throat. It couldn't be…could it?

"A-Anna?" he choked. "A-Anna V-Valerious?"

She stopped shouting, then, Van Helsing saw a dark shape sitting up in the coffin. The light from outside, which was coming in through the open crypt door, shone light on the woman who had been inside the coffin.

Van Helsing's heart fell when he realized it hadn't been Anna. This girl had the same sort of facial facials that Anna once had: High cheekbones, full lips, thin, curved eyebrows, and a Gypsy exoticness…but her skin was far paler than Anna's, and her eyes were a soul-piercing shade of light grey instead of the deep, warm brown Anna's had been. Her hair wasn't dark-brown and curly; it was ink-black and straight, though roughly as long as Anna's had been. She wore similar clothes-a black corset over a loose white blouse, black riding pants, and knee-high black boots-but her clothes were covered in dirt, mud, and what looked suspiciously like blood.

"Anna Valerious?" she asked, sounding a little confused. As she spoke, he caught a glimpse of lethally-pointed canines beneath her blood-red lips; she was a vampire…though that explained why they found her lurking in a crypt. "No, not quite…My name is Gabrielle Valerious…" Her face, which had looked confused, suddenly lit up. "But, do tell me, how is my dear baby sister? I haven't seen her in years!"

* * *

Van Helsing: Ho...ly...crap...Aurora

_Something up, Van Helsing?_

Van Helsing: Anna has a sister?! A sister who's _a vampire?!_

_I know...I was surprised too..._

Catherine: Hey, I said she could help us! She's a vampire...Sirius has vampires in his army...it all works out!

Van Helsing: You knew about this all along, didn't you, Catherine? You and Alexsei knew about Gabrielle all along, didn't you?!

Gabrielle_: (appears in middle of family room and flops on couch_) You called?

_(does double take) Gabrielle?! What the hell? How in all the levels of Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory did you get in here? I locked the door and the windows! I know I did!_

Gabrielle: I know. I came down the chimney. Ho. Ho. Ho.

_Gypsy vampire princess says what? We don't _have_ a chimney, Gabrielle! _

Gabrielle: Oh. You don't?

Van Helsing: Nope. I looked. She's got a gas fireplace and a funny little pipe on the roof, but no chimney...

Gabrielle: Oh. Then you're going to need to speak to someone about the hole in the roof...

_(buries head in hands) Ay, Dios Mio, I just can't win, can I? Well, I'm gonna have to go explain to my mom why's there's a huge hole in the roof..._

Catherine: Hey, Aurora...the contest..?

_Oh, right! Almost forgot! Anyways...as you guys have probably seen, I have a section on my homepage where I have links to the models for the OC's of this story! Well, as a way of saying welcome to Gabrielle, I've added her model up there, too! So, here's the contest: I want you to go to my homepage, click on the link to Gabrielle's picture, and then, come back and tell me the name of the person who I used as Gabrielle's model! Winner gets a chapter dedication and a yet-to-be-determined prize!_

_Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! Reviews, please!_


	17. A Time For Truths

_**A/N: **Well, I left you guys with a massive cliffhanger, but here I am to resolve it! Thanks-as always-to **Dr. Lust **and **musiclover209 **for the wonderful reviews! And, sadly, I got no answers to my contest question, so here's the answer: Gabrielle's model is none other than my idol, Amy Lee! She is so beautiful, and such a good singer...she's the BEST!_

_**Disclaimer: **The rights to Van Helsing are on my Christmas list, but I have to wait for...(counts) seventeen more days to find out if "Santa" granted my wish!_

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: A Time For Truths

_Sunrise the Previous Day, Outside of Strenotia_

The sun rose over the distant Carpathian Mountains, breaking into the forest, shining on a large, decrepit manor in the middle of the forest.

Sun invaded the study in the manor, bringing light into the darkened room. Adolpha was there, locked in a passionate lover's embrace with her mate-and the pack's leader-Sirius. Their lips were locked in a fierce, passionate kiss as they savored the taste of each other. Adolpha's fingers wound themselves into Sirius's messy brown hair, while Sirius's fingers traced along Adolpha's spine. He then brought his hand around, allowing his fingers to trail along her hip, then down her thigh…

Their bliss was interrupted by a small, dry cough. Sirius broke the kiss and glanced to the door of the study, only to find one of his newly-turned Loyals there, a small grin on his face from watching the couple's intimate moment.

"What do you want?" Sirius asked tersely.

The man's grin faded. "Terribly sorry to interrupt, Master, but…Van Helsing and his company are leaving the village!"

Sirius's brow wrinkled as he frowned. "Leaving the village? Where are they headed?"

"I'm…not sure, Master. The girl-Catherine-said something about someone who could help them…they just left the village."

"Send out a group to follow them," Sirius ordered. "Track them down by scent…by Alexsei's scent. Find them, and bring them back." His face darkened, and he frowned. "I refuse to let the Van Helsings get away from me so easily…"

---

"_Baby sister?_" Carl asked. "Wait…does that mean you're…Anna's older sister?"

"Yes," Gabrielle said, throwing one leg over the side of her coffin, followed by the other. "I'm older than Anna by…nine years, give or take. I'm older than Velkan by about seven years."

Van Helsing shook his head. "No," he said, his voice echoing in the small space. "You can't be. Anna didn't have a sister…she only had Velkan."

"And _that's _where you would be mistaken," Gabrielle said, hoping down from her coffin. "You see, I _am _Anna's older sister…but she wouldn't remember me. I ran away from home when she was five years old."

"Why?" Carl asked.

Gabrielle sighed. "It all started when I was careless enough to let a vampire catch me unaware…"

---

_Fourteen-year-old Gabrielle glanced around the darkening forest. Twilight was rapidly approaching; she turned to her seven-year-old brother, Velkan, who was swinging a wooden training sword around._

_"Come, Velkan," she said. "The sun is setting. Papa and Mama will be wanting us to come home. They say vampires roam these forests after dark…"_

_"Do we have to?" Velkan whined. "I can take on a vampire!" He swung his sword wildly. "Bring them on!"_

_Gabrielle smiled and ruffled her kid brother's dark, messy hair. "I'm sure you could…but we don't want to worry Mama or Papa…and we certainly don't want to worry little Anna. You know how worked up she can get sometimes!"_

_Velkan nodded, then gathered his wooden sword and began to head back towards Manor Valerious. Gabrielle picked up her sword and cloak, then began to follow her brother…but she hadn't even taken two steps when something-or some_one_-seized her from behind, around her waist. A strong hand clapped itself over her mouth, silencing her cries of fright and surprise._

_It was a male vampire, with white-blonde hair tied back at the base of his neck. His jade-green eyes became an icy blue color, then, he lowered his mouth to Gabrielle's neck. His tongue gently ran over her neck, right above her jugular vein, then, a searing pain exploded on her neck as he sunk his long fangs into her neck. He began to lap greedily at the blood that had spilt from her wound._

_Gabrielle screamed in pain; the man's hand failed to muffle her screams. A moment later, Velkan reappeared in the clearing, drawn by his sister's screams. His brown eyes widened in surprise at the sight of Gabrielle being drained by a vampire._

_"Gabby!" he cried. The man lifted his head from Gabrielle's neck; waves of pain and agony overcame Gabrielle when he roughly withdrew his fangs from her neck. He smiled at seeing little Velkan, but he didn't attack the boy; instead, he vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving a stunned and bleeding Gabrielle in the middle of the clearing._

_Another wave of pain, this time accompanied by a sickening dizziness, overcame her. She lifted her hand to her neck, fingering the two puncture wounds on her jugular, then, she brought her hand away from her neck._

_It was smeared in blood. _Her _blood._

_Gabrielle's eyes rolled up into her head, then, she passed out, collapsing on the forest floor. Velkan screamed and rushed to his sister's side. A moment later, Boris Valerious burst through the trees, his revolver drawn and ready to fire, attracted by the sounds of his son's screams. His eyes grew wide, and his bushy brows climbed to his hairline at the sight of his eldest daughter lying comatose on the forest floor. A large, bloody wound glistened on her throat; Boris's heart dropped into his stomach as he realized the wound was none other than a vampire's kiss._

_He kneeled by his daughter's side and placed a hand to her throat, where the wound was. When he did, he felt it…a weak, __thread__y__ pulse. Gabrielle was still alive!_

_Boris took her in his arms, then headed back towards Manor Valerious, Velkan close behind. There was not a moment to lose…Gabrielle's very life was at stake._

_---_

_Vaseria's doctor and apothecarian, a man in his mid-thirties with short, messy tawny hair, finished wrapping the bandages around Gabrielle's bitten neck. Her father, Velkan, and her mother, Lilly, who was holding five-year-old Anna, all stood nearby, watching worriedly._

_"Will she be all right?" Boris inquired._

_The doctor shook his head. "She's lost a lot of blood. I've done what I can do, but there's no denying it…Gabrielle will more than likely die from severe shock coupled with severe blood loss. And if she does not die, she'll simply remain in this comatose state for months, perhaps even years…"_

_Lilly bowed her head, allowing tears to stain her face. Her eldest daughter was likely to die, and there was nothing she could do._

_Everyone left the room, leaving the princess alone in the darkening room. Twilight had come again, marking a full day since that vampire had attacked her__. She laid there, dead to the world, unaware of her surroundings…Unexpectedly, the window opened; a dark shape stepped into the room, eyeing the comatose princess._

_He tugged at his left sleeve, exposing his snow-white wrist. He bit into his wrist, then, approached Gabrielle, forced her mouth open, and held his now-bleeding wrist at her mouth, allowing the blood to finish the task he had begun last night…_

_Gabrielle's eyes opened suddenly as the blood began to trickle down her throat. She squealed loudly and attempted to pry the vampire's wrist from her mouth; he only pressed harder to hold it there, at least until he knew he had shed enough blood to complete the process…He pulled his wrist from her mouth and stepped back to watch the transformation take place._

_Gabrielle doubled over, clutching her stomach, screaming bloody murder. Her body began to shake and convulse violently as the vampire's curse spread through her being. Blurred images of her past-as well as some from a past that was unknown to her- raced past her mind's eye. Her canine teeth slowly grew, lengthening into sharp fangs. Her complexion-which was already rather fair-paled to a snow-white shade. She continued to scream in torment, digging her fingers into her bedding, her now unusually-sharp fingernails__ tearing the pristine white linen. At long last, her screams slowly died down as the last throes of the transformation finished__ ravaging her body_

_All the Valerious family raced in, drawn by her screams. They found her doubled over on her bed, panting for breath, while a male vampire stood over in the corner, near her window, a wicked grin on his face._

_"Gabrielle..?" Boris asked, cautiously taking a step towards his daughter. She lifted her head at the sound of her name; everyone in the room gasped at the sight of her sharp fangs, ashen skin, and soul-piercing eyes. Lilly actually began to sob when she realized the fate that had befallen her daughter._

_Gabrielle glanced around wildly, like a wild animal trapped in a cage. Then, with superhuman speed, she climbed off her bed, leapt out the window, and ran away into the night._

_---_

"I didn't run because I feared they would kill me," Gabrielle said. "I ran for _their _safety. Had I stayed, I could have-and probably _would_ have-murdered them."

Carl and Van Helsing nodded. Catherine retreated to a dark corner of the crypt for a moment, then returned with a sheathed rapier and a holstered revolver, which she handed to Gabrielle.

"Ah, thank you, Catherine," she said, strapping both weapons to her waist. "So, there you have it, the tragic tale of the Lost Valerious, the Princess-so to speak-of the Damned. But, as William Shakespeare once said, 'What's past is prologue'. So, I would like to know…how is my dear baby sister? And my brother as well. I should hope they are coping with the passing of our dear father…it's been nearly two years since he vanished…"

Catherine approached Gabrielle and placed a hand on her shoulder, sorrow etched upon her face. "Gabrielle…I'm sorry…but your brother is dead…"

Shocked sadness came over her face. "Velkan? He's dead? How..?"

"He was bitten by a werewolf…" Van Helsing spoke up, not meeting her eyes. "He attacked your sister and I one night…I freed him from his curse…by killing him."

Dead silence ruled the crypt for a moment. Then, Gabrielle spoke up, her voice no more than a whisper. "And…Anna..?"

A lump formed in Van Helsing's throat as the memory of the worst night he could remember came back to him…

---

_He found himself suddenly being thrust back into his right mind. He was still a werewolf, but the rage and bloodlust were…gone._

_Carl stared back at him, wide-eyed and fearful of an impending death. But Van Helsing didn't move in for the kill. Instead, he glanced down, pulled out the syringe__ that was stuck in the middle of his chest, then turned around._

_There was Anna, lying on the chaise behind him. Her eyes were wide-open, but there was no mistaking it…He turned to Carl to see if Carl was seeing what he saw._

_"She's dead…" Carl said with a sob._

_It was as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest. He turned, gathered the beautiful, deceased Gypsy princess in his arms, then threw back his head and howled mournfully._

_His howl seemed to last forever. As he howled, he slowly regressed-a sign that the cure was working-until he was a man once more, screaming his very human pain and anguish to the heavens._

_---_

Van Helsing raised his head as he ended his story, revealing-but not caring-that tears were sparkling in his eyes. Both Catherine and Alexsei were staring at him in shock and horror. Gabrielle, however, wasn't staring at him…her head was bowed, while crimson tears-tears of blood-streaked her face.

"My baby sister…dead…" she whispered. "Oh, God…she was so young…she would have only been twenty-two…"

"I'm really sorry…" Van Helsing apologized, his voice ringing with sincerity and sorrow. "I didn't mean it…I didn't realize she was…she was dead…until-"

A loud noise from outside the crypt interrupted him. They were voices, yelling and calling loudly. Catherine let out a low hiss.

"We were followed," she said. "Someone from Sirius's pack must've seen us leaving Strenotia-"

"-And Sirius must've sent some of his pack after us…" Alexsei finished, voice ringing with dread. "By the sounds of it, they're ready for a fight…"

"Then a fight we shall give them," Gabrielle said resolutely, drawing her revolver. She then turned to Carl and pressed the weapon into his hands. "You, friar…you know how to use one of these, don't you?"

Carl shook his head nervously. "N-No i-idea…"

"Well, no time like the present to learn, then, eh?" she asked, drawing her rapier and striding boldly towards the crypt door.

It was time to fight.

* * *

Van Helsing: Gabrielle...I'm curious...are you seriously going to let Carl-who has never even _held _a gun in his entire life, much less _shot _one-actually use one? 

Gabrielle: Yes, as a matter of fact, I am

_God help us...we're all going to end up dead, then..._

Catherine: Hey! Have a little faith in the poor guy! I'm sure he'll do fine!

_If you say so..(mumbling under breath) I seriously doubt it..._

Alexsei: Wow, that was a long chapter...and three flashbacks!

Van Helsing: I know...it's like a movie, sort of...makes me want..._popcorn_...

Catherine: Ooh, that sounds good!

_Well, then, you guys are in luck! I've got some popcorn in the pantry...movie-theatre-butter style!_

Gabrielle: Do you have any blood, by any chance? I'm starving

_Gabrielle, that's disgusting_

Gabrielle: Hey, fish got to swim, vampires got to eat.

_(Sarcastically) Right...and you know I always keep a pint of fresh blood in my fridge in case I need a little pick-me-up!_

Gabrielle: Okay, I get it, you don't have any blood! Sheesh, no need to be a wiseass about it-

Van Helsing: Nice mouth, Gabrielle...

Gabrielle: Thanks...I'll just go out later and feed from a deer or something...

_Well, if you're going to go out later to feed, I have some suggestions...(hands her piece of paper)_

Gabrielle: _(takes piece of paper and reads it) _What's this?

_A list of people who I wouldn't be too choked up over if they just so happened to become a midnight snack for a vampire..._

Alexsei: Charming. By the way, didn't you say you had something for these guys..?

_Ah, yes, I do! Sheesh, somedays I swear I'd lose my head if it wasn't attached to my neck...anyways, I have a song to go with this chapter! It's called **"Lie To Me"** **by 12 Stones**. I thought it went really well with the part when Van Helsing told Catherine, Alexsei, and Gabrielle the truth about what happened to Anna...so enjoy!_

Our candle burns away  
The ashes full of lies  
I gave my soul to you  
You cut me from behind

Nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide  
You're scared of the truth, I'm tired of the lies  
'Cause who I am, is where you want to be

Don't act like an angel  
You've fallen again  
You're no superhero  
I found in the end  
So lie to me once again  
Tell me everything will be all right  
Lie to me once again  
And ask yourself before we say goodbye  
Well goodbye  
Was it worth it in the end..?

You said you were there for me  
You wouldn't let me fall  
All the times I shared with you  
Were you even there at all?

Nowhere to run, and nowhere to hide  
You're scared of the truth, I'm tired of the lies  
'Cause who I am, is where you want to be

Don't act like an angel  
You've fallen again  
You're no superhero  
I found in the end  
So lie to me once again  
Tell me everything will be all right  
Lie to me once again  
And ask yourself before we say goodbye  
Well goodbye  
Was it worth it in the end..?

Why'd you have to up and run away?  
A million miles away  
I want to close my eyes and make believe  
That I never found you

Just when I put my guard away  
It's the same old story  
You left me broken and betrayed  
It's the same old story

Don't act like an angel  
You've fallen again  
You're no superhero  
I found in the end  
So lie to me once again  
Tell me everything will be all right  
Lie to me once again  
And ask yourself before you say goodbye  
Well goodbye  
Was it worth it in the end..?

Lie to me once again  
It's the same old story  
Lie to me once again  
It's the same old story

Was it worth it in the end..?

_There you go! As always, you don't have to agree with me; this is simply my own personal opinion! Thanks for reading! Review, please!_

_Oh, yes, before I forget...I thought I might want to put this down here...I have ideas for a sequel to Night Warriors(title still pending, though my friend Catty gave me some marvelous suggestions), but I just thought I'd ask: If I did a sequel to Night Warriors, would you guys read it? Let me know in your review or send me a message!_


	18. Blood Under the Moon

_**A/N: **Ah, bright good evening to all! I know it took me over a week to update, for which I apologize. Can you say school was kind of a...well, you get the point. Anyways...thanks as always to **writerluv **and **musiclover209**, and, of course, the same old big thanks to **Dr. Lust-**I really miss you, and I hope you come back soon- and to by friend and (sorta) beta Catty!_

_**Disclaimer: **I still don't have the rights to Van Helsing...but I'm a optimist and I'm holding out for them! Also, this chapter's a little bloody and violent. If blood and violence isn't your cup of tea, I might suggest skipping to the end. To everyone else-enjoy the violence!

* * *

_Chapter Eighteen: Blood Under the Moon

They exited the crypt and found four large men-two dark-haired men, one blonde, and, to their surprise, one with flaming-red hair-waiting for them. Their sharpened teeth gleamed under the light of the moon, their eyes glowed yellow in the darkness. The redhead stepped forward, clicking his tongue disapprovingly.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…what were you thinking, running away?" he asked; his deep voice carried an Irish lilt that betrayed his heritage. "The fun was only just beginning!"

"Hmm…something tells me your version of 'fun' is not quite the same as ours," Gabrielle commented. The four men glanced over at her, and large, wicked smiles crossed their faces.

"Well, well, well…back from the dead, if it isn't little Gabrielle Valerious?!" the Irishman taunted, chuckling at his own little joke.

A grim smirk crossed Gabrielle's face as she raised her rapier. She didn't speak, but her soul-piercing grey eyes taunted the redhead, challenging him. He growled furiously, then made the first move, lunging for Gabrielle. She leapt off the crypt's stairs, and he followed her, transforming into a large, fiery-colored werewolf as he did.

The fight had begun. Van Helsing grabbed both revolvers from their holsters and went for the blonde. Catherine unsheathed her blade-edged fans and went after one of dark-haired brutes, while Alexsei let his nails grow out into large, sharp claws; he didn't attempt a full-blown transformation for fear of drawing unwanted and unneeded attention from the villagers. He went for the other dark-haired one, tackling it to the ground with the force of the werewolf he truly was. Carl, meanwhile, stood on the stairs of the crypt, shaking violently, clutching the revolver Gabrielle had given him like a drowning man clinging to a piece of wood.

The fiery werewolf grabbed Gabrielle's rapier, attempting to break it in half. After a split-second, however, he yelped in pain and pulled his now-scalded paws away from the sword.

Gabrielle gave a laugh. "Bet you weren't expecting my rapier to made of silver, were you, you mangy cur?!"

The enraged werewolf growled and swiped at her, but she back-flipped gracefully, landing on the railing of the stairs. She cast a glance at Carl and shook her head in disgust. "Don't just stand there!" she snapped. "I gave you the revolver for a reason! Use it!"

Carl nodded nervously, then raised the revolver, clutching the grip in both hands. He pointed it at the werewolf Catherine was fighting, then squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the trigger. A bullet exploded from the end of the revolver with a loud bang! and sliced through the air, whistling loudly. It was a good shot…but due to Carl's lack of experience and poor aim, the bullet missed its intended target and instead penetrated Catherine's left shoulder, burying itself deeply in the muscle and bone of her shoulder.

A cry of pain escaped her lips, and her hand flew to her left shoulder, clutching the wound. Blood poured from the wound, instantly coloring her hand dark crimson and staining her clothes. The scent of freshly-spilled blood filled the graveyard.

All the werewolves-and Gabrielle-stopped to sniff the air, now rich with the scent of blood. The blood sent all the werewolves into a frenzy, causing those who had yet to transform to transform, and causing those who had already transformed to let the animal within take control. The only exception was Alexsei. The scent of his wife's blood was tantalizing, but he simply swallowed hard and continued attacking.

The scent of blood also affected Gabrielle. She twitched slightly at the scent of it; beneath her parted lips, her fangs grew slightly. Her eyes turned icy blue…but a moment later they faded back to light grey as she shook it off. She leapt off the stair rail to continue fighting the werewolf she was up against.

The bullet in Catherine's shoulder was painful; her shoulder seemed to throb agonizingly with every heartbeat. She ignored it, however, and continued to fight her werewolf. She dug the blade-edged fan into his arm, and, while he was distracted, she turned and ran, beckoning for everyone to follow her.

Catherine's actions confused Van Helsing, but he simply shrugged, realizing Catherine must have some sort of plan, and shot the werewolf he fought in the leg.

He ran after Catherine and found her mounting her horse, which they had left outside of the cemetery. He mounted his horse, and, and moment later, both Alexsei and Gabrielle-who was dragging a shaken Carl-sprinted towards them. Alexsei mounted Catherine's horse, settling behind her and freeing up his horse for Gabrielle to use. Catherine flicked her reins, her stallion whinnied, then took off towards the outskirts of Vaseria. She had yet to inform anyone of a plan, but no one questioned her, not even when she led everyone into the dark, deep forests outside of Vaseria. They rode for what seemed like hours until Catherine finally motioned for them to stop in a large clearing. She then dismounted her horse; due to shock and blood loss from the wound in her shoulder, however, she fell to her knees as soon as her feet touched the ground.

Gabrielle was off her horse and at her friend's side in an instant. "Are you all right?" she asked worriedly. Her eyes fell upon Catherine's wounded shoulder, and a hiss escaped her lips. She got back to her feet and rounded on Carl, who was dismounting his horse. "You accursed _idiot! _You shot Catherine! What did you do, fire the revolver with your eyes closed?!"

Carl mumbled out a weak "yes", which only fueled Gabrielle's frustration. "You forsaken imbecile! I know you're a friar, but even a friar is smart enough not to _shoot a revolver with their eyes closed! _What would have happened if you hit Catherine in the head?! Or worse-what if you had hit Van Helsing in the head?! I very much doubt he would have survived that, and do you realize-?"

A long, deep, sorrowful howl split the night, cutting Gabrielle off mid-rant. That howl was joined by two more howls. Everyone in the clearing froze to listen; Alexsei muttered something in Romanian, his voice laced with fear.

"What is it?" Van Helsing asked.

"The-The Howl of the Dead…" Catherine muttered, clenching her teeth against the pain. "It-It means one member of the group has been killed…"

"And now, the ones who still live will want revenge…" Alexsei murmured.

Van Helsing sighed, shook his head, then reached into his coat pocket, removed more silver bullets, and loaded them into his revolver. _Things are about to get _hairy…

He glanced over at Catherine, who removed her hand from her injured shoulder. More blood painted her palm dark crimson, and she hissed through clenched teeth.

"You all right, Catherine?" he asked in concern.

She nodded. "I'll be fine…It hurts like the Devil, and it won't heal properly until I remove the bullet, but I can handle it…we have more important things to worry about.

As if to prove her point, three loud roars echoed out, sounding very close. A moment later, the three remaining werewolves-the fiery one and the two dark-haired ones-emerged from the trees. Three pairs of yellow eyes glared menacingly at the group; saliva dripped from three gaping jaws.

Carl gave a gasp and retreated, still holding Gabrielle's revolver. Van Helsing cocked both of his revolvers, Catherine readied both fans, and Alexsei actually shed his human form, allowing the midnight-black beast within to show.

Gabrielle, however, sheathed her rapier. Her eyes glowed that eerie, icy blue, and she gave a predatory hiss. A moment later, huge, grayish-white bat wings ripped free from her back. Her complexion paled to a grayish-white shade, her nails grew into talons, and claws sprouted on her feet as her clothes and boots vanished. She was no longer human; now, she was a hell-bat that bore a strong resemblance to Dracula's late brides.

One of the dark-haired werewolves leapt at Gabrielle. She gave a loud screech, rocketing upward, then, she swooped back down and grabbed the beast by the shoulders, taking it up into the skies with her.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Van Helsing, Catherine, and Alexsei fought the other two werewolves. Both sides dealt blow after blow to each other. Blood flowed, spattering the forest floor. To the group's dismay, however, the werewolves seemed unwilling to give up, no matter how many times they were shot, stabbed, bitten, or clawed…

Suddenly, the werewolf Gabrielle had taken to the skies came crashing down in the middle of the battle, a large, deep puncture wound on his neck. He thrashed violently for a moment, then fell still and regressed to his human form. The bloody puncture wound at his throat looked even more gruesome now…

With a _whoosh _and a loud _crack_, Gabrielle-still in her hell-bat form- landed heavily on a nearby branch. Blood trickled from the corners of her mouth, adding to her fearsome, demonic appearance.

"Who's next?!" she called. Her musical voice was rough and harsh, a chorus of a thousand nails on a thousand blackboards. "Come on now, don't be shy! Your little friend was only a warm-up! Now, I'm ready for a _real _fight!"

The death of their comrade, along with Gabrielle's fearsome appearance, seemed to weaken the resolves of the two remaining werewolves. They glanced at each other, then turned tail and fled. Gabrielle leapt from the tree, regressing back to her human form before her feet even hit the forest floor.

"Oh…my God…" Carl said. "That was…"

"That was amazing!" Alexsei said after returning to his human form. "You scared those bloody cowards right off!"

Gabrielle, however, didn't respond to his praise. Instead, she looked worried and scared. "Everyone…" she whispered. "There's a problem…t-the s-sun is r-rising…"

Van Helsing glanced to the east. Sure enough, he could see the first hints of dawn far off. Quickly, he whipped off his long, heavy coat and handed it to Gabrielle, instructing her to put it on. He knew the heavy black duster would provide her with some degree of protection-but only temporarily. And even though he had only known her for less than a day, the thought of her flawless face reduced to nothing more than ashes filled his heart with inexplicable dread.

Catherine mounted her horse, Alexsei hopping on behind her again. "Come on!" she yelled. "There's a place not too far from here we can go! _Come on!_"

Everyone else mounted their horses and followed Catherine. She led them even deeper into the forest; the trees and foliage grew thicker, until it was impossible to tell that dawn was still coming. Finally, she reigned in her horse in front of an old, decrepit manor. The stonework was cracked and aging in several places, and ivy was crawling, unchecked, up the sides of the house, obscuring some of the stones and many of the windows. The group raced up the steps to the front door, ran inside, then slammed the heavy front doors shut, drowning the interior of the manor in darkness.

Van Helsing blinked in mild surprise. His night vision was superb from years of prowling the streets after the sunset…but in here, it was so dark, he couldn't even see his own hand before his face. A moment later, there came a flickering light as Catherine lit up some half-melted candles in an ancient candelabra and held it up.

They were in the grand foyer of an ancient manor. Cobwebs drifted and floated in the slight breeze, the wallpaper was peeled and torn in some places, as well as covered in brown stains of God only knew what. The candles cast weird, flickering shadows over the walls, and the foyer smelled faintly of blood and death-_old _death.

Something about this place sent an odd shiver down Van Helsing's spine…and yet, at the same time, it was so _familiar_. He swore he could almost hear the ghosts of laughter and of voices…echoes of what had been said there in the past…

"Catherine, where in the name of all that is good and holy are we?"

Catherine, who had wandered out into the middle of the foyer, turned to face her brother. The light of the candles cast weird, distorted shadows over her face.

"Don't you recognize it, Gabriel?" she asked. "This is…this is where we were born. Where we grew up. Where our _lives _are…Van Helsing Manor."

* * *

_And things come back to where they all started..._

Van Helsing: How did I know you were going to end the chapter there?

_Easy. One, you know me. I like cliffhangers. Two, I had to end the chapter sometime! It was already on the fifth page in Microsoft Word! Oh, by the way, Catherine...how's your faith in Carl's shooting skills?_

Catherine: Bite me, Aurora.

_Gladly. When and where?_

Van Helsing: God, you've been hanging around Gabrielle, I can tell. She's rubbing off on you.

Alexsei: Speak of the Devil...where is she?

_I don't know, actually...(swings foot)_

Table: Ouch!

Alexsei: Hold the phone...since when do tables say ouch?

_Hang on...(looks under table) Um, Gabrielle...you know, you can come out from under the table..._

Gabrielle: Not when the sun's out! I don't want to end up deep fried and extra-crispy!

_Gabrielle, the sun went down hours ago. Wake up and hear the crickets chirping._

Gabrielle: Oh..._(comes out from under table) _Hey, didn't you have something for these guys?

_Yes, I did! Courtesy of my friend Catty, I have a song that's absolutely fitting to Catherine and Gabriel as brother and sister. It's called **"Say My Name" **by one of my all-time favorites, **Within Temptation!**_

Say my name  
So I will know you're back  
You're here again  
For a while  
Oh let us share the memories that only we can share together  
Tell me about  
The days before I was born  
How we were as children

You touch my hand  
As colours come alive  
In your heart and in your mind  
I cross the borders of time  
Leaving today behind  
To be with you again

We breathe the air  
Do you remember how you used to touch my hand  
You're not aware  
Your hands keep still  
You just don't know that I am here  
It hurts too much  
I pray now that soon you release to where you belong

You touch my hand  
As colours come alive  
In your heart and in your mind  
I cross the borders of time  
Leaving today behind  
To be with you again

Please say my name  
Remember who I am  
You will find me in the world of yesterday  
You'll drift away again  
Too far from where I am  
When you ask me who I am

Say my name  
As colours come alive  
In your heart and in your mind  
I cross the borders of time  
Leaving today behind  
To be with you again

Say my name

_There we go! As always, only my personal opinion, but think about it-this song really is perfect for Catherine and Gabriel, isn't it? Review, please, and thanks for reading!  
Lyrics courtesy of WithinTemptation. com_


	19. Apology's Melody

_**A/N: **Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...well, except for a vampire, a werewolf, a fallen angel, an archangel, and one crazy authoress!_

_Ha, ha...anyways, yes, I decided to give you a new chapter of Night Warriors as a little Christmas present! Hope you enjoy, and thanks to **musiclover209 **for reviewing, as well as thanks to **writerluv **and **Dr. Lust **for their continued support...please come back soon, Dr. Lust! We're all missing you like crazy!_

_**Disclaimer: **Nope, still don't own Van Helsing as of yet. I got to open one present, and sadly, it wasn't the rights to Van Helsing.

* * *

_Chapter Nineteen: Apology's Melody

"_This _is Van Helsing Manor?" Carl asked, his voice colored with disgust.

"It's obviously not in the best of shape…after all, it's more or less been abandoned since the night of our parents' deaths," Catherine said. "But yes, this is Van Helsing Manor."

Van Helsing looked around the darkened foyer. No wonder this place seemed so familiar. He heard another echo, this time, it was the laugh of a young girl. He swore he could see people moving around him, ghostly figures of the past…

---

_Ten year old Gabriel turned away from the window, his eyes alight with excitement. "Mother, Mother!__" he cried happily. "Father has returned!"_

_Cordelia, who had been sitting in a chair before the fire, staring into the fire, stood to her feet suddenly. In the front hall, the sound of the door opening echoed out._

_"Father!" Gabriel cried in excitement, rushing out to the front hall to greet his father. Cordelia came to the front hall and saw her husband there, dressed in his long black cloak and his wide-brimmed black hat, the clothes he always wore on the hunts. He embraced his son and ruffled Gabriel's shoulder-length locks._

_"Ah! How splendid to come home to such a warm reception!" Randolph said as h__e crossed the hall, embraced Cordelia__, and kissed her softly on the lips. "But I wonder…where's my precious little girl?"_

_"I put her to bed some time ago," Cordelia said. "She's probably sleeping soundly by now-"_

_"Papa?" a little voice asked from the upstairs. Five-year-old Catherine appeared at the top of the stairs, rubbing her eyes with one fist, a cloth doll clutched tightly in one arm. She saw her father down in the front hall and gave an excited cry. "Papa! Papa!"_

_"Ah, there's my precious daughter!" Randolph said, crouching down near the foot of the stairs and holding out his arms for a welcoming embrace. Catherine scampered down the stairs, her linen nightgown brushing against her short legs, and scampered right into her father's embrace. He scooped her up, __holding her as if she was an infant again._

_"You came back, Papa!" she squealed happily._

_He smiled warmly at her, then gave her a light kiss on the cheek. "Did you think I wasn't coming back?" He then removed his wide-brimmed hat and placed it on Catherine's head, where it immediately slid down over her eyes. She giggled, then pulled the hat off and placed it on her brother's head._

_"You look like Papa now, Gabriel!" she chirped, giggling again. Gabriel smiled, too. He felt different wearing his father's hat. He felt like a man. He felt like a true vampire slayer…_

_---_

A gasp caught Van Helsing's attention, snapping him out of his trance. It was Catherine; she was clutching her wounded shoulder, her face contorted slightly with pain.

"Catherine..?" he asked.

She took a breath through clenched teeth. "I have…to get this…Godforsaken bullet out…of my shoulder…now. The pain's maddening…"

Carl reached into the bag at his feet, rooted around in it for a minute, then produced a small, cloth bag.

"Here…" he said. "There are some medical supplies in here we can use to remove that bullet. I brought them, as I figured Van Helsing would end up making me put them put them to use…"

Van Helsing shot the friar a look, but he had to admit that Carl had a point; often, upon returning to the Order from an assignment, he would require some form of wound-tending.

"All right…" Catherine agreed. "But first…" She turned away, walking over to the frayed, moth-eaten curtains. She produced a blade-fan, cut a long strip of cloth from the curtain, then returned to where the others stood, holding the strip out to Van Helsing. "You may want to tie this around my mouth."

"Why?" Van Helsing questioned, taking the piece of cloth.

"I may be a fallen angel, but I can still feel pain," Catherine explained, ripping a larger hole in her blouse at the shoulder. "And I can already tell this will hurt…"

A moment later, Catherine was effectively gagged, with Alexsei and Gabrielle each holding her by one arm so she wouldn't struggle too much. Carl removed a pair of gleaming forceps from the cloth bag, then gently inserted them into Catherine's wound.

Even with the gag over her mouth, she still screamed loud enough to wake the dead. She squirmed violently, trying in vain to fight Alexsei and Gabrielle's combined preternatural strength.

"It'll be all right, Catherine," Carl assured her. "This won't take too long, I promise."

Gabrielle shook her head in disgust and muttered something under her breath.

"I'm sorry…what was that?" Carl asked, giving the forceps a little twist. Catherine screamed again and thrashed violently; Van Helsing hurried forward, moved behind Catherine, then wrapped both his arms around her chest, right around her ribs, to hold her still.

"I said we wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't for _you_," Gabrielle snapped. "Again, what _idiot _shoots a revolver with his eyes closed? That's more than just pure idiocy; that's flat out reckless and irresponsible thinking! And what's more, you didn't even bother to pitch in and help us fight after you injured Catherine! You cowered in the back and let us do all the fighting! What, afraid of getting your hands dirty, you spineless little coward?!"

Everyone-especially Carl-looked at Gabrielle in surprise. She glared furiously at Carl, eyes blazing in contempt and disgust.

Carl's face darkened slightly. He continued to work on removing the bullet from Catherine's shoulder, going about his task with maybe a little more force than what was necessary. Catherine flinched, attempting to inform him of his less-than-gentle touch.

"You know, Miss Valerious, you shouldn't be so quick to judge," he stated, agitation highly evident in his voice. "Especially seeing as you yourself are _far _from perfect. John 8:7 says '…And he said unto them 'He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone-'."

"You don't have to quote the Bible for me, friar," Gabrielle snapped again. "To start with, I was raised Catholic. I know the Bible well, particularly the Four Gospels. Second, I'm a _vampire_. As you should know, we don't particularly care for having people quote Bible verses to us."

Carl returned his attention to Catherine's wound, digging and twisting the forceps in to loosen the bullet. Due to his now-disgruntled attitude, however, his touch was decidedly less than gentle. Catherine struggled fiercely, fighting against Van Helsing, Gabrielle, and Alexsei, screaming her pain aloud…At long last, Carl removed the forceps. A blood-slick bullet was clutched between the two pinching ends. He brought it close to his face and eyed the bullet that had been lodged in Catherine's clavicle, mere inches from her shoulder joint.

"Here we are…" he said. "There, now…that wasn't so bad, now was it?"

Van Helsing unwrapped his arms from around Catherine's ribcage, then carefully untied the gag around her mouth and let it drop to the floor. Catherine slumped as her tense muscles relaxed, and a stream of foul words and vile oaths escaped her lips, along with a few shaky breaths. Alexsei pulled Catherine into his arms, and Gabrielle untangled her arm from Catherine's, then turned on her heel and headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going, Gabrielle?" Carl asked curiously.

"For your information, friar, I'm going to find a place to sleep," she snapped irritably, not even looking back at him as she spoke. She proceeded to climb the rickety stairs, disappearing into the dark upper hallway.

"Actually…that's not a…bad idea…" Catherine panted. "I'm exhausted…"

Alexsei nodded, picked Catherine up, then headed up the stairs. Van Helsing followed them, with Carl bringing up the rear. The upper hallway was pitch-black, but he easily made his way down the hall, irresistibly drawn to a bedroom at the end of the hall.

There was nothing special about the bedroom he was drawn to. The main feature of the room was a four-poster bed hung with navy-blue hangings and covered with a matching navy comforter. There was also a desk in the corner, which he approached and ran a hand over.

_What's so special about this room? _he wondered. _Was this once my room..?_

"I see you found your old room," Catherine said. Van Helsing turned around and found her in the doorway.

"This is my old bedroom?" he asked.

Catherine nodded. "Indeed. Now, come on. Get some sleep, Gabriel. If you need me, I'll be in my old room, two doors down."

She left, and Van Helsing sat down on his bed, shrugging off his coat as he did. Fatigue took over, and he let himself collapse backwards onto the soft mattress, asleep before his head even hit the pillow.

---

Van Helsing sat bolt upright on his bed, gasping for breath. His mind still swam with disturbing images, remnants of the nightmare he had just endured. He leaned forward, letting his elbows rest on his knees and resting his head in his hands, trying to shake off the memory of the nightmare.

His ears-which had been tuned to his surroundings-picked up sound coming from downstairs. It sounded like…piano music; a hesitantly-played version of Bach's Toccata in D Minor. Drawn by curiosity, he left his room, headed down the dark hallway, then crept down the stairs, following the sounds of the music.

A few minutes later, he came across a room, dark as midnight but lit by candelabra. The candlelight cast weird, flickering shadows over the walls, and revealed a large grand piano in the room. Seated at the piano's keys, plucking out the tune, was none other than Gabrielle.

Van Helsing waited for her to finish playing before he spoke. "I didn't know you could play piano."

"My mother taught me when I was a little girl," Gabrielle said, leaving her fingers on the keys but not playing another song. "She taught Anna, too. She attempted to teach Velkan as well, but he refused. He said piano playing was 'a woman's sport'."

She looked up at him as he seated himself next to her on the bench. "What brings you down here, Van Helsing?"

"I…couldn't sleep…" he said, shrugging nonchalantly. "And you?"

"The same…I couldn't sleep," she said. "I…I want to apologize about earlier. About snapping at your friar friend. I shouldn't have been so harsh, even if what he did was careless. And I apologize about…about what you saw back in the clearing. I never intended for anyone to see that…that _monster_…"

"There's no need for you to apologize," Van Helsing said. "If anything…I should be apologizing. I…I killed your sister, Gabrielle…" He bowed his head, staring at the piano keys, as tears came to his eyes. "And…and not a day goes by that I don't remember her…and remember that her death is my fault…"

He felt a hand under his chin, and, a moment later, he was looking at Gabrielle's face, her grey eyes boring into his.

"Van Helsing…it's not your fault," she said. "If what you told me in the crypt is to be believed, you were a werewolf at the time of Anna's death. Werewolves can't control their actions. They don't know the difference between friend and foe. You couldn't help yourself. _It's not your fault._"

They stayed like that for a moment, staring into each other's eyes, then, Gabrielle turned her attention back to the piano keys, running her fingers lovingly over the keys.

"What other songs do you know?" Van Helsing asked.

"Quite a few," she said. "Bach's Fugue in D Minor, Brahms's Lullaby, Beethoven's Ode to Joy…and one my mother taught me. A song passed down from mother to daughter on Mother's side of the family. Mother said she sang the song to Father…and that was part of what won him over…"

"May I hear it?"

Gabrielle nodded, then began to play. The tune was sweet and soft, but also melancholy and sad. Gabrielle kept her eyes trained on the keys, entirely focused on playing. After a minute, the tune picked up, sounding less melancholy. Van Helsing listened, watching Gabrielle intently; to his surprise, she opened her mouth and began to sing softly:

_Under your spell again  
__I can't say no to you  
__Crave my heart and it's bleeding in your hand  
__I can't say no to you_

_Shouldn't let you torture me so sweetly  
__Now I can't let go of this dream  
__I can't breathe but I feel…_

_Good enough  
__I feel good enough for you_

Van Helsing's eyebrows rose in surprise. Gabrielle's voice was beautiful, angelic even. She sang softly, as though she was unsure of herself, but, even as he watched, her eyes closed as she lost herself in the passion of playing:

_Drink up, sweet decadence  
__I can't say no to you  
__And I've completely lost myself and I don't mind  
__I can't say no to you_

Gabrielle's voice picked up, getting louder. She was pouring her heart and soul out into her playing, swaying her head slightly, causing her mane of raven hair to move over her back and shoulders.

_Shouldn't let you conquer me completely  
__Now I can't let go of this dream  
__Can't believe that I feel…  
_

_Good enough  
__I feel good enough  
__It's been such a long time coming, but I feel good_

_And I'm still waiting for the rain to fall  
__Pour real life down on me  
__'Cause I can't hold on to anything this good enough  
__Am__ I good enough for you to love me too?_

Her fingers flew over the keys in a piano solo. She was completely unaware of Van Helsing's presence…and yet, in a way, she was doing this all for him.

Finally, the piano solo wound down, becoming soft and sweet again. Gabrielle's next words came out soft, too:

_So take care what you ask of me  
__'Cause I can't say no _

She played a few final notes, then glanced over at him. "See? Nothing fancy…a simple Gypsy song my mother taught me as a child."

"That was beautiful," Van Helsing said. "Gabrielle, your voice…it's…amazing. Where did you learn to sing like that?"

"Music soothes the savage beast," she said with a playful grin. "I often sang to Anna and Velkan when they were babies…I guess it simply came naturally…"

They both fell silent, aware of how close their bodies were. They were less than six inches apart, well within reaching distance. For a minute, they stared deeply into each other's eyes. Van Helsing's pulse quickened slightly; Gabrielle could feel her undead blood rushing under the hunter's gaze…

Suddenly, Gabrielle stood up, heading for the doorway to the room. Van Helsing stared at her departing back in confusion. "Where are you going?"

"Your cellar," she called over her shoulder. "I'm famished. I haven't fed properly in days-and I hardly count werewolf blood as _proper _food- so I'm going to have a look around your cellar to see if I can scrounge up a rat to eat…"

She departed, leaving Van Helsing sitting alone at the piano with his very confused thoughts and feelings.

* * *

_Oooh! I'm sensing perhaps a little romance between the vampire and the vampire hunter..._

Van Helsing: _(tugs on authoress's sleeve) _Aurora...Aurora!

_What?_

Van Helsing: Do I _really _have to wear the Santa hat?

_Would you rather me make you wear a full Santa suit?_

Van Helsing: The hat's fine! Here..._(grabs huge present and sets it in authoress's lap) _Merry Christmas

_Holy crap, what the hell is this? It weighs about a million pounds! (opens present) SQUEEEE!!! YOU GOT ME A CROSSBOW!!! THANK YOU, VAN HELSING!!!_

Gabrielle: You gave a her a _crossbow_? _(crosses self) _We're doomed.

_Shut up, Gabrielle. I have a better aim than Carl-_

Catherine: Love, a _chimpanzee _has better aim than Carl. More common sense, too...

_Oh, come on, guys. Let's not bash Carl too bad. It's Christmas! Oh, by the way, I got you a present, Van Helsing! (pulls out small, neatly wrapped package and places it in Van Helsing's palms)_

Van Helsing: It's...tiny.

_Open you, you dork_

Van Helsing: Oh. I knew that. _(opens present) _Aw! How thoughtful, Aurora! You got me one of those music-playing devices like your magenta one!

Alexsei: You mean an iPod Nano?

Van Helsing: Yeah, that thing.

_Aaaaand, I've already put some music on it...your favorite, Evanescence!_

Van Helsing: Thanks! _(huggles authoress) _

Alexsei: _(pulls mistletoe out of pocket and holds it above himself and Catherine) _Hey, Kitty..._(points to mistletoe)_

Catherine: Oooh, me like..._(leans forward) _

_Ah, ah, ah! No making out in the family room, you two!_

Catherine: Aw...you're no fun!

_All right...guess what? I have a contest for you guys! Here's the contest: Remember the song Gabrielle was singing earlier in the chapter? Well, I'd like to know: What's the name of the song, and who performs it (and if you can tell me the album it's on, there's a bonus for you!)? First person to give me the correct answer will get their choice of either:  
**1) A sneak peek of the Night Warriors sequel, or  
2) A hand-drawn Christmas picture of the entire gang-Van Helsing, Catherine, Alexsei, Gabrielle, and me, your authoress, Aurora!  
**Anyways, thanks for reading, and please do review! Reviews really make my day, I respond to all my reviews, aaannd, they make a great Christmas present!_

_**Everyone: MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!**_


	20. Merely a Coincidence?

_**A/N: **Well, hello, my lufflies! I'm back! I hope you enjoyed my little Christmas present to you all, and thanks to **writerluv **and **musiclover209 **for their reviews! I also have the contest answers:  
Song: "Good Enough"  
Artist: Evanescence(hell yeah!!!)  
Album: The Open Door(2006)_

_So, congrats to **writerluv **for getting the right answer! Anyways, I'm not gonna bore you any longer, so enjoy!_

_**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I didn't get the rights to Van Helsing for Christmas. But my birthday's coming quite soon, so maybe then..._

_

* * *

_

**_This chapter is dedicated to writerluv, my contest winner

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty: Merely a Coincidence?

When night fell-though, in the abandoned manor deep in the forest, it was near-impossible to tell night had fallen-Van Helsing, Carl, Catherine, Alexsei, and Gabrielle all gathered in the front hall. Carl glanced around the hall in confusion. "What exactly are we doing here?"

"I had an epiphany while I was sleeping," Catherine said. "Remember in the forest…remember Adolpha's interest in Gabriel? And how she expressed Sirius's interest?"

The group nodded; Catherine continued. "Why would Sirius be so interested in Gabriel?"

"Maybe because he's…well, he's Van Helsing!" Carl burst out.

"This may be true," Catherine called out over her shoulder as she turned away from the group, heading down the long hallway. Everyone quickly followed her. "But…I think it's something else. The epiphany I had was…well, it was that we know very little of Sirius. But…when I thought about it, there's a book somewhere in the family library that has information about him. If it's still here, that is…"

"That's brilliant!" Alexsei exclaimed, dancing up to his wife and placing a light kiss on her cheek.

Catherine grinned, then stopped before a large set of double-doors, which she pushed lightly. With a loud _creak, _the doors opened, revealing a large, dark room. Catherine strode right in, not even caring that it was black as midnight in the library, and, a few minutes later, a small, flickering light could be seen. Another minute passed and the flickering light grew in size…Catherine had lit a fire in the fireplace.

The library was a huge room, lined with floor-to-ceiling bookcases. A single window broke the line of bookcases, but because night had fallen in the deep forest, no light entered the room. There was also a large space in the middle of the room that had been cleared of bookshelves, and instead contained a few wingback chairs and a table.

"Amazing…" Carl said in awe as the group crossed the threshold.

"The Van Helsing family library and archives," Catherine said, disappearing into the shelves. Van Helsing followed her, glancing around as he did. With the dim, flickering light of the fireplace, he could make out a few exquisite portraits hung on the walls. One particular portrait caught his eye…a portrait of four people, seemingly a family portrait. A beautiful blonde woman sat in a wingback chair, holding a dark-haired toddler girl in her lap. A dark-haired boy, no older than six or seven, stood at the side of the chair, and a tall, dark-haired man stood behind the boy, a hand on his small shoulder.

Catherine caught Van Helsing staring at the picture. "A family portrait. I do believe that portrait was done when you were about seven and I was about two…Come on. I think what we're looking for is _this _way…"

She paused before a large shelf and began to mutter aloud under her breath. "Let's see… 'w'… 'w-e'… 'werewolves'…now, where…ah! There it is!"

Catherine pointed out a book on the higher shelves, well out of her reach. Van Helsing glanced around for a ladder, but before he knew it, Catherine had climbed the shelves, retrieved the book, and jumped back down, landing on the floor with barely a sound.

A moment later, everyone had gathered around the table in the middle. Catherine set the book down, then blew the dust off the cover, sending up dust clouds that sent the entire group into small coughing fits.

"What exactly is that?" Alexsei asked between coughs.

"A field diary," Catherine said. "Father obtained it a short time before Gabriel's birth…it's a diary kept that's as good as a biography about Sirius de Autechane. Seeing as _our _Sirius and Sirius de Autechane are believed to be the same person-"

"They are the same person," Alexsei interrupted. "There's no _beliefs. _There's no _rumors. _He is Sirius de Autechane, believe me."

Catherine nodded at her husband's statement. "Right. Well, then, seeing as they _are _the same person, this diary shall prove itself a tremendous asset to us."

Gabrielle leaned in closer to get a better look at it. As she did, she leaned in Van Helsing's direction, and he caught a whiff of her scent. She smelled vaguely of death-as all vampires did-but beneath that scent was another, so familiar…it reminded him of _Anna._

"Who wrote it?" Gabrielle asked.

"A close, personal friend and ally of Sirius," Catherine said. "Prince Vladislaus Valerious…or, as we knew him, Count Vladislaus Dracula."

"D-D-Dracula?!" Carl sputtered in fearful shock, looking at the book as though it were a poisonous snake.

"Yes. It was retrieved from Castle Frankenstein-Dracula's occasional home-during the Great Slayers' Raid of 1497…but that's a story for another time. But in here, we'll find pretty much everything we need to know about Sirius de Autechane.

She gently opened the aged book, leafing through the first few dry, yellowed pages of parchment. Finally, she stopped, ran her finger down the page, then stopped her finger on a particular passage. "Here we are…This particular entry was written not too long after Sirius joined Dracula's army."

She pushed the book out to the middle of the table so everyone could read the tidy, flowing handwriting that filled the page:

_…I spoke with one of the new soldiers today, Sirius. Really quite a fascinating fellow…I've heard of his family before; supposedly, the de Autechane family is a well-known, as well as a well-respected, military family from France._

_We spoke mostly of heritage. I was impressed-Sirius's family heritage is as noble and as rich in history as my own!_

_We also spoke of our lives. Sirius's life was indeed quite fascinating, and I found myself enthralled by his life's story. He told me he was born in 1425, which makes him a few years younger than myself. He also told me he had a twin-a brother, Gabriel._

Van Helsing stared at the page in surprise. Sirius had a brother-a twin no less-named Gabriel? That was an unusual-not to mention _unlikely_-coincidence.

_What if..? _he couldn't help but wonder. _It's nearly impossible, but…what if Sirius's brother was also an incarnation of the Archangel Gabriel..?_

"You said Sirius had a brother named Gabriel?" Carl asked. "Well…isn't that a funny coincidence? That he had a brother who had the same first name as Van Helsing…"

"Coincidence?" Catherine said. "I beg to differ, Carl. There's a fine line between coincidence and fate…"

She leaned forward, flipped ahead a few pages, then pushed the book back into the middle of the table:

_I learned something quite amazing today…I'm still reeling from the shock of it all._

_I was in my tent with Sirius and Gabriel, my two closest friends here in this foreign land. Sirius and I were having a wonderful time, talking and laughing together, but Gabriel seemed unusually quiet and thoughtful. I turned to him. "What's wrong?" I asked._

_He glanced over at me. "There is something important that I think you should know, but…__I don't know how to tell you, Vlad."_

_I gently urged him to tell me, and, at long last, he told me-and imagine my surprise when he told me he was an incarnation of the Archangel Gabriel!_

"My God," Carl whispered, looking first at the journal, then up at Van Helsing, then back down at the journal.

"What? What is it-?" Alexsei asked. He glanced at the text, then back up at Van Helsing, just like Carl had. Something seemed to dawn on him. "You…you're not an incarnation of God's Left Hand…are you?"

Van Helsing nodded, and Alexsei's eyes widened to the size of platters. Gabrielle gave a small gasp and placed a hand over her mouth in surprise.

Catherine nodded. "Yes…Gabriel is an incarnation of the archangel. However-the incarnation mentioned here is not my brother. This is the archangel's _past_ incarnation. _He's _the one who killed Dracula…"

"But what happened to him?" Carl asked.

"He…he died," Catherine said. "But…I don't know how…"

Van Helsing blinked a few times. His vision was starting to cloud over, as if someone was covering his eyes with something. Everyone else's voices began to fade, as if they were moving away. Van Helsing shook his head, trying to clear it…images of days of old passed through his head, while long-dead voices rang out in his ears. A scene began to play out before his eyes, and he was merely a spectator…

_A man sat in the corner of an ill-lit tavern, nursing an unknown drink between his hands. Messy, dark hair fell into his face, and his brown eyes were bloodshot and filled with sorrow. He seemed oblivious to the debaucherous activities occurring around him, too lost in his own sorrow…_

_The door to the tavern suddenly flew open. A ragged-looking man stumbled into the tavern. His light-brown hair was tangled and matted, his face was pale and covered with a fine sheen of sweat, and his rather simple clothes were ripped, dirty, and bloodied. His eyes darted wildly around the tavern before coming to rest on the man in the corner._

_"Gabriel?" he asked. His voice sounded dry and rough, as though he hadn't drunk anything in weeks._

_Gabriel got to his feet, staring at the man across the tavern. "S-Sirius?" he asked in surprise. He crossed the tavern, stopping before his brother. They stared at each other for a moment, then Gabriel threw his around his brother in an embrace. Sirius very hesitantly returned his brother's embrace._

_Gabriel pulled away from his brother after a moment. "My God, Sirius, I thought you were dead…"_

_Sirius said nothing, only turned and left. Intrigued by his brother's strange behavior, Gabriel followed him, out of the tavern and into the dark alley outside the tavern. Sirius stopped and turned to face his brother, his eyes glowing yellow in the darkness._

Van Helsing watched as the scene played out before him. Even though it was only a vision, everything seemed so real. He could even smell the filth that was rotting in the fetid alley.

_Gabriel looked around, surprised and disgusted by his surroundings. "Sirius, what are we doing here-?"_

_There came a snarl from behind him. He turned and saw __his brother metamorphosing before his eyes. His nose and mouth lengthened into a lupine snout, his nails began to lengthen into claws, and thick brown fur sprouted all over his body._

_His brother's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could say anything, Sirius lunged forward and closed his massive jaws around Gabriel's throat._

_The salty, tangy iron scent of blood filled the putrid alley. Gabriel sputtered and choked incoherently, trying in vain to fight his brother off. His efforts failed, and the life slowly faded from his eyes as he succumbed to blood loss and werewolf venom. _

_Finally, Sirius released his brother, letting his lifeless body fall limply to the ground. He regressed back to his human form, his lips and chin stained with blood-the brother of his own twin brother. Sirius casually wiped his lips on his shirt-sleeve, then turned and walked away, not even casting one look back at his slaughtered brother…_

As quickly as the vision came, it was gone, leaving Van Helsing clutching the table, gasping raggedly for breath. Four pairs of concerned-and curious-eyes stared at him.

"He…he killed him…" he panted, the vivid images he had just seen still passing through his mind's eye. "Sirius…he killed Gabriel…his own brother…"

* * *

_And so the plot thickens once more..._

Van Helsing: You like saying that, don't you?

_Yeah, so what if I do?_

Van Helsing: Never mind..._(pulls out iPod and begins to scroll through songs)_

Gabrielle: Hey, I have a question...

_All right. Go ahead._

Gabrielle: Exactly how many times has the Archangel Gabriel been incarnated as a human?

Catherine: Um...approxiametly..._(begins to count on fingers) _Damn, I lost count.

Alexsei: Why incarnate himself so much?

Catherine: Because he's supposed to watch over the world, and that's hard to do when you're dead.

_Really? You don't seem to have any problems with it, Catherine._

Catherine: That would be because I may have died, but I was also resurrected. Resurrected and bound to my duty. Don't you remember that from Chapter thirteen?

_I knew that. Anyways...thank you for reading! Please review! I really hoped you liked it. And P.S...I posted a poll on my homepage. Please check it out!_


	21. Royal Calling

_**A/N: **Okay, I know, it did take me a while to update this. Again, I blame it on school. I have midterms coming up next week, which means I have mucho-studying to do. However, I might update next week, because I get out of school early next Wednesday through Friday(aww, my school system loves us and doesn't want our brains to shrivel any more than they already have!) It all depends. Anyways...first off, I'd like to send thanks, as well as lots of welcomes, to my two new reviewers **Erik Destler is my Apollo **and **SpeedDemon315. **I'd also like to say thanks to my faithful reviewers **writerluv **and **musiclover209. **And, last but certainly not least, I'd love to give a big welcome back to my best buddy **Dr. Lust! **I missed you so much!!!_

_A brief warning...there is a conversation in a foreign language in this chapter. But I am including a translation at the bottom, so you can understand what they said!_

_**Disclaimer: **I still don't own the rights to Van Helsing as of yet...but my birthday's in less than a week so let's just cross our fingers, shall we?

* * *

_**Chapter** Twenty-One: Royal Calling 

People stared curiously as Catherine and Carl walked side-by-side through the streets of Bucharest, Romania's glittering capital city. Perhaps they found it queer, to see a young woman and friar walking side-by-side, seeming together. Or it may have been Catherine's all-black hunting attire and the revolver holstered at her waist.

After Van Helsing had discussed his startling vision with everyone, recounting every last horrific detail, they-Van Helsing, Catherine, Alexsei, and Gabrielle- had spoken until dawn, plotting to battle Sirius in the next few days. Just as they were finishing their discussion, Carl-who had gone to bed several hours earlier-had wandered into the library, asking what was going on. Van Helsing quickly filled him in on the situation, and once Carl had heard the entire story, he insisted upon cabling Rome to "apprise them of the situation", as he called it. Catherine offered to accompany him to the telegraph office in Bucharest, which was less than half a day's journey from Van Helsing Manor.

Catherine led Carl through the crowded streets to a small wooden building, tucked away and easy to miss if one wasn't paying attention. Inside, the building was nearly empty, and Carl was able to step right up to the counter-only to find that the man behind the counter was fluent in Romanian, not English. Meanwhile, Carl's Romanian was a little rusty-he hadn't yet spoken Romanian to anyone because everyone they had encountered so far could speak understandable English.

"Telegram!" Carl said loudly and slowly, as though the man was hard of hearing and rather witless. "I need…to send…telegram…to Rome!"

The man behind the counter cocked his head curiously at Carl, who was now making exaggerated hand gestures in addition to speaking loudly and slowly. "Vatican!" Carl said. "You know…in Rome? The Holy See? The Pope?"

The man's brow knit in confusion, and he murmured something in Romanian. Carl sighed, and Catherine did too. A moment later, she gently nudged Carl aside from his spot before the man. "This is getting us nowhere, Carl," she scolded gently. "Let me talk to him…"

She turned to the man. "_Scuză-mă , domnule?_"

"_Da__, domnişoară?_" he responded, looking relieved that she spoke Romanian.

"_Eu am nevoie la spre a trimite un telegramă la Vatican_"

"_Is that ce el was saying?_" the man laughed, gesturing to Carl.

Catherine nodded with a grin. "_Da. Esta o anyone spate acolo cine speaks Englez?_"

The man nodded. "_Da ce, da acolo is. A permite eu energie a lua pe el._"

"_Mulţumesc , bun domnule,_" Catherine said as the man disappeared into the back. She turned to Carl. "He says there is someone here who speaks English. He's gone to get him."

"I didn't know you spoke such fluent Romanian," Carl commented in surprise.

"I was born and raised in Romania," she said. "It's my native tongue."

Just then, the man came out from the back. "_El says el voinţă a voi a vedea tu acum._"

Catherine nodded. "_Iar , mulţumesc , domnule._"

They stepped into the back, and quickly gave their message to the English-speaking man operating the telegraph: That they planned to find-and fight-Sirius within the week. After the man had finished with the message, they left the dark backroom and went back to the bright front room.

"_Cît de mult voinţă a voi this a costa?_" Catherine asked the man.

"_That'll a fi şapte leu , domnişoară,_" the man responded. Catherine reached into a pouch on her hip, pulled out seven coins-Romanian leu, which she and Van Helsing had received from the Vatican before they departed-and handed it to the man. He grinned as she did.

"_Have un drăguţ zi!_" he called cheerfully as they left, waving.

"There…now that we've cabled Rome, back to the manor," Catherine said matter-of-factly. "We need to leave for Strenotia at sundown if we wish to make it to Vaseria before sunrise."

---

The group led their horses into Vaseria's town square as the sun began to appear on the horizon. Many of the windows of the buildings were dark, but the windows of the tavern were alight with a slight glow, suggesting that some of Vaseria's citizens still had yet to end their night. Van Helsing gestured to the tavern-which Gabrielle had told him was also an inn-and they led their horses over to it, dismounted and tied up their horses, then entered the tavern.

Many of the tables were empty, but a few tables still were occupied by men, drinking and laughing cheerfully amongst themselves. A few more men were seated at the bar, flirting shamelessly with the barmaid, who flirted just as shamelessly right back. Carl caught sight of the barmaid and paled slightly. She was the very same barmaid he had slept with the last time he was in Vaseria-but their night had ended on a bad note, due to Carl getting spooked by the painting in the tower of Valerious Manor that suddenly came to life. He had stumbled backwards into the couch, sending it-barmaid and all-tumbling backwards.

As the group entered, the noise of the tavern faded away, and all heads turned their way. At the bar, the barmaid gave a gasp, then stepped out from behind the bar and walked-slowly, as if she were in a trance-towards their group.

Carl flinched, fearful that she was going to come and strike him across the face, but she passed him without even a glance. Instead, she stopped before Gabrielle, staring at her as if she was an angel that had suddenly appeared amongst them.

"P-Princess Gabrielle?" she asked softly. "I-Is that r-really y-you?"

Van Helsing's eyebrows rose in surprise. _Wait…did that woman just address Gabrielle as a princess?_

Gabrielle groaned softly. "I was hoping to avoid this…"

The barmaid turned to all the other patrons in the bar. "It's her! Princess Gabrielle Valerious! She's alive!"

Pandemonium erupted within the tavern. After the barmaid's outcry, all the patrons abandoned their seats and swarmed Gabrielle, talking loudly and excitedly in odd combinations of English and Romanian. Gabrielle looked this way and that way at the crowd; her grey eyes were wide with panic.

After a few minutes, Van Helsing-who had been pushed away from Gabrielle by the chaotic crowd-fought his way back to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her in the direction of the staircase. A few minutes later, they emerged in a narrow upper hallway, followed by Alexsei, a very startled Carl, and Catherine, who was holding two keys to two rooms in her hand. Obviously, despite all the confusion, she had managed to purchase two rooms for the day from the barmaid. She quickly unlocked one, and everyone rushed inside.

"All right…" Carl said as soon as the door was closed, "what in the name of all that's good and holy just happened down there?"

Gabrielle sat down on the edge of a bed, looking on the verge of tears. "It's a long story…" she sighed miserably.

Catherine sat down next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder in a comforting manner. "It's all right, Gabrielle. You can tell us…"

"Very well…" Gabrielle said reluctantly. "As I'm sure you're all aware, my family…we are the monarchs-so to speak-of the Gypsies. My father, Boris, was their king. As the only son, Velkan was to inherit the throne upon Father's death. In the event that anything was to happen to Velkan-"

"-You were next in line for the throne," Alexsei finished.

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes. But after I was turned and I ran away, everyone thought me dead. In that case, the throne would have passed to Anna. But then…Anna d-died…" She paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "This left no heir to the throne, as I was assumed dead. But now they know I'm alive…"

"And how exactly is that a bad thing?" Carl asked, confused.

"Don't you understand?" Gabrielle asked. "They want me to take the throne now! They don't even know that I'm…that I'm a vampire, and still they want me to take the throne!"

"All right…I can see why your being a vampire is a problem," Carl said. "But I don't see why your people wanting you to take the throne is such a horrible thing!"

Gabrielle gave Carl a look, then, she stood up and grabbed one of the keys from the room's desk.

"Where are you going?" Catherine asked.

"I'm going to the other room," Gabrielle said shortly. Her voice sounded choked, as though she was fighting back tears. She left the room, slamming the door behind her as she did; a moment later, another door slamming rang out across the hall. The entire door sat in silence, staring at the door through which Gabrielle had made her abrupt departure.

"Was it something I said?" Carl asked.

Van Helsing stood up. "I'm going to go make sure she's all right…"

He quickly-and quietly-crossed the hall and knocked lightly on the door. When Gabrielle didn't yell for him to go away, he opened the door and slipped inside, thankful that Gabrielle hadn't locked the door from the inside.

To his surprise, Gabrielle was lying on her side on one of the beds, her legs drawn nearly all the way to her chest, her face buried in a pillow. Her dark hair fanned out over her back and shoulders, hiding most of her face. Her back moved up and down sporadically, her shoulders shook, and a soft sobbing noise escaped her. He approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Gabrielle, what's wrong?" he asked.

She lifted her head to look at Van Helsing. Long red streaks of blood tears she'd cried stained her face, while more tears shimmered in her eyes.

"Nothing," she said softly. "I'm fine…"

"I doubt that," Van Helsing said, a small smile pulling at his lips. "If you were fine, you wouldn't be crying…"

She sighed as she sat up. "Touché…all right, I'm _not_ fine…"

He sat down next to her. "What's wrong?"

"I…I'm scared…" she admitted softly. "I'm scared to take the t-throne. M-My people expect me, as a V-Valerious, to t-take the throne…b-but I don't know i-if I can d-do it…"

She took another deep breath before continuing. "I always t-thought that i-if Father died, Velkan w-would t-take the throne…even a-after I ran a-away…but now he's d-dead and they k-know I'm a-alive…I don't t-think I can r-rule over them…"

Van Helsing watched her swipe at her tear-stained face with the sleeve of her blouse, then he put a strong hand on her shoulder and turned her so she was looking at him.

"You can, Gabrielle," he assured her. "You can rule over your people, and I'm sure you'd do well at it. It's in your blood…"

"You don't understand," Gabrielle sniffled. "I'm a v-vampire, remember? I-If I told that to them, I k-know they w-would hate m-me and fear me. A-And it's not a-as if I c-can hide it f-from them…"

More tears trickled from her eyes. She moved to wipe them away, but Van Helsing stopped her movements by reaching over and brushing away a few tears.

"Gabrielle," he said. "Your people wouldn't hate or fear their own queen. And it's not as being under the rule of a vampire is anything new to them…"

Gabrielle looked confused, so he elaborated. "Think about it: Even though your family had ruled these lands for over four centuries, there was always Dracula. He had a _presence_, didn't he? And in a way, he ruled more than anyone in your family did."

She couldn't help but help smile at Van Helsing-he made a fair point. And when she smiled, Van Helsing couldn't help but stare.

_She looks so beautiful when she smiles. _He wanted to tell her that. But instead he put a hand back on her shoulder again. "Don't doubt yourself, Gabrielle. I think you'd make a fine queen."

He stood up and headed towards the door, planning on going back to the other room. However, as he reached for the doorknob, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around; it was Gabrielle. With no warning, she threw her arms around him in an embrace. After a moment, Van Helsing returned the embrace. And there it was again…that scent that reminded him of Anna…

She pulled away after a minute, looking shyly up at him through her long, dark eyelashes. A soft smile pulled at the corners of her lips.

"Thank you, Van Helsing…" she said softly.

* * *

**Translations**

_Excuse me, sir?  
__Yes, miss?  
__**I need to send a telegram to the Vatican  
**(points to Carl) Is that what he was saying?  
__**Yes. Is there anyone here who speaks English?  
**Why yes, there is. Let me go get him  
**Thank you, good sir.**_

_He says he will see you now  
_**_Again, thank you, sir_ **

_How much will this cost?  
__That'll be seven leu, miss. (gets paid) Have a nice day!_

_

* * *

_

_Awww...I'm sensing a little something-something between Van Helsing and Gabrielle_

Van Helsing: _(blushes and looks away)_

Gabrielle: Heh...we're just friends, Aurora...

Alexsei: That's what they _all _say...

Catherine: Alexsei, that's not very nice...but it is funny..._(breaks down into giggling fit)_

Gabrielle: No, seriously, we're simply friends.

_Mmm-hmm, sure you are..._

Van Helsing: Um..._(tries to change subject) _Hey, Aurora, I didn't know you knew how to speak Romanian.

_I don't. I only know two words in Romanian...one of which I really shouldn't repeat lest I offend someone..._

Catherine: Then where'd you get all that?

_From the modern marvel that is free online translators. I went on a free translations, entered "English-to-Romanian" in the search bar, and boom, there's a free English/Romanian tranlation site!_

Alexsei: That's nifty.

_Very much so..._

Van Helsing: Hey, didn't you have something for these guys..?

_Yes, indeed, I did! All right-I have a song to put here! It's called "Evil Angel" by Breaking Benjamin...I love this song to bits, and every time I hear it, I think of Gabrielle. As always, personal opinion, you don't have to agree with me. The lyrics are below, and I hope you like it!_

Hold it together, birds of a feather  
Nothing but lies and crooked wings  
I have the answer, spreading the cancer  
You are the faith inside me

No, don't  
Leave me to die here  
Help me survive here  
Alone, don't remember, remember

Put me to sleep, evil angel  
Open your wings, evil angel

A-ah

I'm a believer, nothing could be worse  
All these imaginary friends  
Hiding betrayal, driving the nail  
Hoping to find the savior

No, don't  
Leave me to die here  
Help me survive her  
Alone, don't surrender, surrender

Put me to sleep, evil angel  
Open your wings, evil angel  
Fly over me, evil angel  
Why can't I breathe, evil angel?

Put me to sleep, evil angel  
Open your wings, evil angel  
Fly over me, evil angel  
Why can't I breathe, evil angel?

_Now can you guys see why I love this song so much? Thanks for reading, review, please!_


	22. Warrior Unbound

_**A/N: **Hello all! Sorry...I know this took a while...blame it on school. I had midterms last week, and the week before was so busy with all the studying...but now that midterms are over, I should be able to update in a more timely manner! Thanks to **SpeedDemon315, writerluv, **and, as always, **Dr. Lust **for the wonderful reviews!_

_**Disclaimer: **Sadly, I still don't own Van Helsing. I just like to play...but Stephan Sommers can't stop me from doing that, now can he?! Ha!!!

* * *

_Chapter Twenty-Two: Warrior Unbound

Towards dawn the next day, the group arrived back in Strenotia. Gabrielle saw the sun rising, casting its weak rays over the mountains, and she nervously pulled her hood over her head to protect her skin. Van Helsing noticed this, and the group quickened their pace towards the inn.

They arrived at the inn before the sun had really risen, and-to their amazement-the innkeeper had kept their room exactly the same as it had been before they had left. The five of them retired to their room, pulling the threadbare curtains shut to block out the feeble light, intending on getting some sleep…but found that they were too battle-ready to sleep.

The day passed slowly, the hours seemingly melting together in one endless span of time. Van Helsing spent the day pacing back and forth, steeling his nerves for the forthcoming battle. Catherine watched him for a long while, then, she stood up, crossed the room, and dug around in her pack-which was lying at the foot of the desk-until she produced her unstrung bow and a fresh string from within.

Van Helsing gave her a confused look. "You're not going to use your crossbow?"

"I don't know where it is," she admitted as she sat upon her bed, cradling her bow in her lap. "Last time I had it was the night I was at Fore Manor, and I think Edward Fore had one of his servants store it away somewhere at the manor…"

Van Helsing nodded and resumed his pacing, while Catherine began to string her bow. Carl sat on one of the beds, rifling through the pages of the books he had on werewolves, his foot twitching nervously. Alexsei sat by the window, staring at the worn grey curtains-Gabrielle had forbidden anyone from opening the curtains while the sun was out-and fidgeting nervously.

Gabrielle, however, seemed completely calm. She sat on the same bed Catherine was on, her back against the wall and her legs crossed. Her hands rested atop her knees, and her eyes were closed, her expression calm and serene. She appeared to be meditating…or she was asleep.

"Alexsei…" Van Helsing said, sometime around late afternoon. "Do you know where to find Sirius?"

Alexsei jumped nearly a foot when he was addressed, but he nodded. "Yes. He lives in a manor out deep in the woods. I can take you there…"

"How exactly do you know where they live?" Carl asked suspiciously, setting aside his book.

"Alexsei used to belong to Sirius's pack," Catherine said as she finished restringing her bow. She gave the new string a little _twang_ for good measure. "In fact, Sirius was his sire…"

Alexsei nodded again. "Yes, three and a half centuries ago…I remember waking up to a hellish burning on my arm and an angel bathing my brow with cool water…"

He trailed off, bowing his head and blushing in embarrassment. Catherine's face flushed pink along with his.

"Wait…wouldn't that mean you're betraying your pack?" Carl asked. "Won't they exile you? Or worse-won't they _kill _you?"

Alexsei shook his head. "Too late for that…I 'betrayed' my pack five years ago when I took Catherine as my bride. They only exiled me at first…but then Sirius changed his mind and decided he wanted to kill me. I've been on the run for four and a half years." He sighed and folded his arms across his chest. "Not much else they can do to me."

Yet again, the group fell into silence; Van Helsing resumed his pacing, Carl resumed his reading, and Catherine moved from her spot on the bed to sit in her husband's lap, her head resting against his shoulder. He let his head rest atop her; his fingers absent-mindedly stroked her long, dark hair.

At long last, the last few rays of sun were swallowed by darkness as the sun set over the distant mountains. As soon as the last ray was gone, Gabrielle's eyes snapped open, as though she sensed the darkness. No one could tell if she had been asleep or meditating-she had been absolutely still all day, as though she had been asleep, yet she was instantly awake and alert, pulling on her boots and reaching for her revolver and her rapier.

"The sun has set," Gabrielle said. "It's time to fight."

---

Van Helsing ducked, narrowly avoiding a low-hanging branch. Alexsei was leading them through the forest, deeper than they had ever dare gone. The path was choked with vines and weeds, and low-hanging branches loomed ominously, threatening to smack an unwary person upside the head if they weren't paying attention. They spoke little…there was nothing left for them to say. They had finalized their plans back at the inn, and any unnecessary talk would only alert the werewolves to their presence sooner…

"How much further?" Gabrielle asked from behind Van Helsing.

Alexsei sniffed the air. "Not much further now. I can smell my brethren…the manor's close."

They continued to move forward, but no more than a minute had passed when Carl suddenly toppled to the ground with a yelp. His foot had caught on a gnarled root, which had tripped him. He stood up, looking down in disdain at his robes, which were now covered in dirt and mud from his fall and also now sported a torn hem.

"I could have been a _Franciscan…_" he murmured darkly, trying to brush his robes clean. "But _no…_I had to _travel_…see the _world_…"

"Carl, shush!" Catherine scolded gently. "Do you want them to come now?"

Carl closed his mouth instantly; a moment later, they broke through the thick trees to find themselves in the shadow of yet another dilapidated manor. Alexsei stopped, and the rest of the group followed suit.

"This is it…" Alexsei whispered.

All around them came the sounds of bushes rustling. In the gloom, several pairs of eyes, burning bright yellow, could be seen coming from the depths of the forest, and even from the windows of the manor.

Suddenly, the manor's vast front doors creaked open. Three figures emerged from within the dark confines of the manor; a tall man with shoulder-length brown hair-who Van Helsing could only assume was none other than Sirius de Autechane himself-stood in the middle. To his right was Adolpha, still wearing her revealing white dress, her normally-emerald eyes glowing a burning yellow. But it was who was on Sirius's left side that surprised everyone.

Edward de Fore stood at Sirius's left side, grinning wickedly at them, his teeth sharp and jagged. His once-fine clothes were torn and filthy, while his hair had been freed from its usual ponytail and hung loosely past his shoulders.

"Mr. de F-Fore?" Carl asked in shock. "But…but you're supposed to be d-dead!"

A laugh, cold and cruel, escaped his lips. "Me? Dead? No…I staged that werewolf attack with the help of one of my brethren…so I could return to Sirius, my _true _master…"

Sirius took a step forward, eyeing the group with scorn. "Well, if it isn't the traitor, Alexsei? Oh…and you've brought your wife and brother-in-law, too! How lovely! And you brought a friar, and…why, is it Princess Gabrielle Valerious? Amazing…"

Adolpha stepped up to her husband's side. "Yes. We've heard of the ruckus you've caused Princess…" Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You killed one of our clan's best warriors…he was my cousin and you killed him!" Her nails lengthened into long, menacing claws. "And now, you shall pay for his life!"

With a feral snarl, Adolpha bounded down the steps of the manor, heading for Gabrielle. Murderous intentions gleamed in her golden eyes. Van Helsing-fearful for Gabrielle's safety-went for his revolver…but before he could grab it, an arrow soared through the air and pierced Adolpha's chest, right over her heart.

Adolpha stopped dead in her tracks, looking down at the arrow in her chest in shock. A small gasp escaped her lips; blood oozed from the wound, staining her pure white dress. Van Helsing looked around for the source of the arrow, and found Catherine with her bow raised, her firing arm raised and ready to draw another arrow if needed.

Suddenly, it seemed to fully dawn on Adolpha that an arrow was lodged in her heart. Both hands clutched the shaft, trying to pull it out; a louder gasp of pain escaped her lips. Hot blood continued to pour from her wound, staining her dress crimson. A few moments later, she fell to her knees, then, she collapsed to the ground, the life fading from her eyes."

A horrified look came over Sirius's face. "_ADOLPHA!!!_" He sprinted towards her, covering the distance between where he stood and where she lay in four or five bounds; he picked her up and cradled her form in his arms. He whispered frantically to her, repeating her name over and over, but she didn't move or speak. He lifted his head, glaring at the group. The utmost rage and hatred glowed in his yellow eyes.

"You murderers!" he howled in outrage. "You slew my wife! You slew her right before the eyes of myself and my entire clan! For this, _YOU SHALL PAY!!!_"

At his last few words-which he shouted loudly in anger-members of his clan began to emerge from the manor and the woods around them. Many of them were already transformed into their massive wolfen forms, and those who hadn't transformed sported claw-like fingernails, sharp and jagged teeth, and golden eyes that glowed with a bloodlust that needed to be satisfied. Amongst them, the group could make out some clan members with pale skin and glowing, icy-blue eyes, who sported inch-long fangs-Sirius's vampiric allies.

Van Helsing looked at his group-his friends, and his family. Carl looked as though he was going to come over faint at any moment. Gabrielle looked around at the crowd of creatures quite nervously; her usually-pale face was even more ashen. On his other side, Catherine and Alexsei eyed the creatures nervously; Catherine's hands were clasped in Alexsei's, and Alexsei stroked the back of Catherine's hand with his thumb. Even in the low light, both their wedding bands gleamed on their left hands.

_Sirius's intentions are to have us murdered,_ he thought. _But…I can't let Carl die. He's still a young man, and he's my dear friend…I can't let Catherine and Alexsei die. Catherine's my sister…and I just found her, after losing her…and her and Alexsei haven't even had the chance to start a family yet…I can't let Gabrielle die, either…I…_

The strangest feeling came over Van Helsing. His vision was swimming, causing everything before him to blur. Then came a strange pressure at the back of his skull, along with a strange ache beneath the twin scars on his back. He felt as though he was being pushed slowly underwater…he closed his eyes and took a deep breath…

Images began to flash before his closed eyes, images of war-torn battlefields and of warriors wielding swords. Distant yells and battle cries echoed in his head; the feeling of being submerged became more pronounced…

"We shall pay, shall we?" A voice issued from his mouth, even though he hadn't told himself to speak. This voice was not his own, though…it sounded more musical than his…and more resolved…

And then it was though he had lost complete control of his body. He shrugged off his coat, his limbs moving under the control of one who was not him. Suddenly, to the surprise of everyone, vast white wings-at least twenty feet from tip to tip, if not longer-unfurled from his back, right where the twin scars were. His eyes snapped open, glowing with a silver-blue fire.

The man-Gabriel Van Helsing-was gone. Now, he was the Archangel Gabriel once more.

* * *

_Oh my God...it's him...(stares openly at Van Helsing) It's the Archangel Gabriel..._

Catherine: _(bows)_

Gabrielle: Um...Catherine, what are you doing?

_Gabrielle, you have to remember that the Archangel Gabriel is the one who made her a fallen angel. He's like her sire. Let her have a moment..._

Alexsei: Oh, by the way, Catherine, nice aim...right to the heart!

Catherine: _(looks up) _Thank you, darling.

_So...now that Gabriel's been released, will the battle turn in the favor of you guys?_

Gabrielle: God I hope so...

Van Helsing/Gabriel: Do not worry. Everything shall be fine...

_Now that's optimism for you...which, coming from Van Helsing, is kind of surprising...even if that isn't Van Helsing..._

Alexsei: Um, Aurora..._(pokes authoress and holds out piece of paper)_

_Oh, right! (takes paper) Yeah, I don't have a contest...but I DO have a song for you guys! This one I heard...less than a week ago, and I feel in love with it immediately. It also makes me think of Van Helsing, a lot...anyways, the song's called **"Nemo" **by one of my new favorites, **Nightwish. **Lyrics are below! Enjoy!_

This is me for forever  
One of the lost ones  
The one without a name  
Without an honest heart as compass

This is me for forever  
The one without a name  
These lines the last endeavor  
To find the missing lifeline

Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
All I wish is to dream again  
My loving heart, lost in the dark  
For hope I'd give my everything

My flower  
Withered between  
The pages two and three  
The once and forever bloom gone with my sins

Walk the dark path  
Sleep with angels  
Call the past for help  
Touch me with your love  
And reveal to me my true name

Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
All I wish is to dream again  
My loving heart, lost in the dark  
For hope, I'd give my everything

Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
Oh how I wish to dream again  
Once and for all  
And all for once  
Nemo, my name forevermore

Nemo sailing home  
Nemo letting go

Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
All I wish is to dream again  
My loving heart, lost in the dark  
For hope, I'd give my everything

Oh how I wish for soothing rain  
Oh how I wish to dream again  
Once and for all  
And all for once  
Nemo, my name forevermore

Nemo, my name forevermore

_As always, these songs are a matter of personal opinion...this just really reminds me of Van Helsing._

_Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! Please review...oh, and Internet cookies to anyone who can spot the **Van Helsing: The London Assignment **reference in this chapter!_


	23. Angel of Death

_**A/N: **Hey guys! Welcome back! I know...I left a huge cliffhanger last time! But I'm here with a new chapter...which means I must have gotten bored at school (in all honesty, I did get bored...my History teacher made us study for a test on World War I for, like, an hour, so I basically faked studying and worked on this...and she didn't suspect a thing...). Anyways, thanks to **writerluv, SpeedDemon315, **and **musiclover209 **for their reviews! Enjoy!_

_Oh, by the way, when I say "Gabriel" in this chapter, I'm refering to Van Helsing. I'm calling him Gabriel, however, because he's currently the Archangel Gabriel and not Gabriel Van Helsing. Mmmkay?_

_**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Van Helsing. I just like to play pretend that I do...

* * *

_Chapter Twenty-Three: Angel of Death

Everyone in the clearing stared at Gabriel with wide eyes. Carl repeatedly murmured "Oh my God" under his breath, Gabrielle put her hands to her mouth in shock, and Alexsei-along with the rest of his wolfen brethren- stared openly, barely blinking.

"G-Gabriel?" Catherine whispered in shock.

He glanced at her and gave her a tender smile. "Ah, Catherine…still as lovely a woman as you were three and a half centuries ago."

Catherine dropped to her knees, bowing her head in respect to the archangel who was essentially her sire. Still smiling tenderly at her, he gently placed a hand under her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes.

"Thank God you've come," she whispered.

He nodded. "Fret not, Catherine. I would never forsake you or anyone you hold near."

A laugh came from behind them, starting slow and controlled, and quickly rising to include a touch of hysteria.

"Ah…so you're an incarnation of the Archangel Gabriel too, are you?" Sirius chuckled. "Well, what a _surprise. _But angel or not, you shall still pay, Van Helsing!"

Sirius then leapt to his feet, baring lengthening canines. Behind him, a consciencous pack member quickly came and removed Adolpha's lifeless body; Edward came forward as Sirius's new second-in-command. The rest of the pack tensed up, ready for an epic battle.

They weren't the only ones, though; Gabriel's group was preparing for battle too. A black tinge colored Catherine's normally-blue irises, quickly coloring them ebony, and her wings-now looking somewhat small and out-of-place next Gabriel's vast white wings- unfurled from her back. Lengthening canines jutted from below Alexsei's upper lip, while his irises faded to golden. Gabrielle pulled her revolver from her holster and turned to Carl, entreating him with ice-blue eyes.

"Carl, please…" she begged, pressing the revolver into his hands. "Make me proud."

He nodded. "I'll try…"

A fleeting smile passed over Gabrielle's face, then, she turned back to face Sirius and the rest of his pack. She hissed audibly at them, flashing deadly fangs.

A large werewolf threw himself at Alexsei, officially starting the battle. The wolf took Alexsei to the ground, but too much momentum-as well as Alexsei's feet in his stomach-sent him tumbling over the man and to the forest floor.

"I've got him!" Carl cried, rushing forward with the revolver clutched in both hands. There was a loud report, and the werewolf-who had been getting back to his feet-collapsed to the earth, stunned and bleeding from a silver bullet to the head. He didn't get back up.

Carl gasped in satisfied shock. "I hit him? Oh, my God, I hit him!" He looked up at Gabrielle, who had transformed, taken to the skies and was locked in a fierce aerial battle with a few other vampires. "Gabrielle! I hit a werewolf! I did it! Did I make you proud?"

She looked at the downed werewolf, and a grin distorted her grey, grotesque face. "Yes, Carl, you made me proud-"

Suddenly, another werewolf came up behind Carl, grabbed him by the back of his robes, and sent him flying with a flick of the wrist. Carl hit the ground hard and didn't get back up; the impact had knocked him unconscious. Alexsei glared murderously at the other wolf-attacking while an opponent's back was turned was considered the lowest, dirtiest trick amongst werewolves-and he leapt at the werewolf, making a full-out change as he did. His wolfen jaws closed around the other werewolf's throat; blood flowed as he ripped out the other's throat. At least ten other werewolves suddenly appeared, surrounding Alexsei; a snarling, seething mass of fur and claws erupted as Alexsei and the others bit and clawed at each other.

In the air above everyone's heads, Gabrielle and the other vampires swooped and dove at each other. It was at least five or six of them against her alone, but she never gave up. She bit and clawed at the others with razor-sharp talons and lethal fangs, and soon, she managed to take out the others-three of which had been elder vampires, with centuries more experience than she possessed. She gave a triumphant screech, then swooped low to do battle with a few werewolves.

Meanwhile, Catherine was locked in a struggle with several werewolves, including a still-untransformed Edward. Her blade-edged fans practically danced in her hands, slicing large, wet wounds in the hides of the werewolves. Only Edward seemed immune to her blows.

Finally, it came down to Edward and Catherine. They circled each other like two creatures planning their next moves. Edward leered at Catherine. "Well, well, well, Miss Van Helsing, you seem to be a better fighter than I thought…"

Catherine's grips on her fans tightened. "Never doubt the skills a woman can possess, Mr. de Fore…"

Edward let out a low growl from deep in his chest. "I say we spare the formalities and start fighting already for the love of God…"

"I thought you'd never ask," Catherine commented dryly. Edward grinned again, then flung himself at Catherine, making the change as he did. She ducked, but his sharp back claws managed to dig into her shoulder and neck, leaving deep cuts. She glared darkly at Edward, then, she rose up into the air and swooped at him, bringing both fans up to parry.

And yet, in the middle of the battle, in the middle of all the pandemonium, chaos, and bloodshed, Sirius and Gabriel stood still, staring at each other with their unearthly-colored eyes. They both stood, slightly crouched, their feet spread wide and their hands at the ready at their sides…preditorial battle stances.

"I should have known," Sirius whispered harshly. "I should have known that the great Van Helsing was an incarnation of the Archangel Gabriel…just as my brother was…"

"Yes, your brother…" Gabriel said in a low voice. "Your brother, whom you slew in cold blood…just as you intend to slay Gabriel Van Helsing's friends and family in cold blood…"

"_YOU MURDERED MY MATE!" _Sirius bellowed in rage. "For four centuries, I loved Adolpha as no man has ever loved his wife! And you killed her! You must pay for her death!"

He transformed, becoming a massive brown werewolf in the pulse of a heart. With a feral roar, he threw himself at Gabriel. The archangel stood still, though, even as Sirius came closer and closer…finally, when Sirius was less than a foot away, he ducked, allowing Sirius to sail over him harmlessly. He then spread his vast white wings and took to the sky, landing on the roof of the manor with only a few beats of his wings.

Sirius was heading towards the ground headfirst. He quickly tucked his head down so he wouldn't come down upon his skull, then, as he hit the ground, he executed a flawless diving roll and quickly got back on his feet, facing the manor, glaring angrily at the roof-and Gabriel. He bounded towards the roof…but as he did, he seized Catherine by the back of her blouse with a large, hirsute hand. In surprise, one of her blade-fans went flying, slicing a nasty wound in Edward's chest. Still clutching Catherine, Sirius approached the manor, dug his claws into the stone surface, and scaled the face of the manor, all the way to the roof.

"Let me go, damn it!" Catherine protested loudly as Sirius held her out of the edge of the roof. She thrashed against his grip and beat her wings furiously, but nothing worked.

Gabriel stepped forward. "Release her, Sirius! Your battle is with me, not with Catherine!"

A mocking leer distorted Sirius's muzzle, then, he raised his free hand, flashing his sharpened claws, and with a flash of blinding speed, he brought his claws down across Catherine's back.

A shrill scream of pain split the night, loud enough to wake the dead, it seemed. Catherine's corset had been no match for Sirius's razor-sharp claws, and had been instantly torn to shreds, along with the back of her blouse. Blood gushed from the four long cuts-stretching from the left shoulder to the right hip- across Catherine's back, spattering her raven wing-feathers with the sticky crimson liquid. Sirius then brought his claws across her back the opposite way, criss-crossing her back with four more gashes. More blood poured from her torn flesh.

Sirius brought his claws to his mouth and greedily cleaned Catherine's blood from his claws, mocking Gabriel. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he flung Catherine's injured, bleeding form out over the clearing. Catherine flapped her wings desperately, trying to stop herself from plummeting to the ground, but agony exploded across her lacerated back when she flapped her wings. She plummeted back to earth and slammed-with enough force to break several ribs-face-down on the forest floor.

She didn't move.

Alexsei saw this entire thing happen, and a murderous rage filled him. When he saw his wife hit the ground and not get back up, he gave a howl of outrage and began working his way over to Catherine, cutting down anyone who dared to get in his way. He crouched at Catherine's side and gently took her in his massive arms, not caring about the blood from her back when it stained his fur, or any of his own wounds.

Sirius watched what was happening on the ground, then glanced back at Gabriel, a taunt in his eyes and a mocking leer on his muzzle. Fury blazed in the archangel's eyes…

Before Sirius could make his next move, Gabriel was on him, hitting, punching, and kicking. After the shock of the surprise attack had worn off, Sirius began returning Gabriel's blows with some of his own. He managed to land a few nasty scratches on Gabriel's chest, but the archangel ignored the pain and kept fighting.

For what may have been minutes-but seemed like hours- the werewolf and the archangel were locked in a stalemate…they both were the same strength, and neither could overtake the other. But then…Gabriel spotted a brief moment of weakness from Sirius and took advantage of it: He grabbed Sirius tightly around the chest, spread his wings, and took to the skies again, flying at least fifty feet higher than they had already been. Sirius glanced down at the ground-which was now quite far away-and began to claw at Gabriel's neck and face in anger and…fear…

Gabriel looked deep into Sirius's eyes. "For all those you've slain over the centuries…for Catherine Van Helsing and Alexsei Dunkirk, the lovers you've caused so much hardship…and for Gabriel de Autechane, the man I was once, centuries ago…"

A flash of fear passed through Sirius's golden eyes, and he ceased his thrashing.

"May God have mercy on your soul…_brother_…"

And with that, Gabriel went into a dive, heading for the ground with Sirius clutched tight against his chest. He gradually picked up speed as he dove, gradually gaining momentum until…

With a resounding _slam _and a sickening _crunch_, Gabriel and Sirius both slammed into the earth. Startled vampires and werewolves moved away from the spot where the two had crashed. Sirius had hit the ground first, bearing the brunt of the impact-which was enough to snap his neck.

Gabriel, however, seemed unharmed, even though he had taken a fair deal of impact as well. He stood to his feet, gazing down at Sirius. Then, he glanced over his shoulder at Alexsei-who had regressed into his human form and still cradled Catherine's unconscious form in his arms-and reached into his coat.

"Alexsei, I believe I owe you the honor," he said, pulling out a silver dagger.

Numbly, Alexsei took the dagger, staring down at his sire, who appeared to be dead. He hadn't regressed into his human form yet, though, despite his broken neck…Alexsei raised the dagger high, then brought it straight down into Sirius's heart.

Sirius's eyes flew open, and a gurgling sound escaped his throat. Blood gushed from the wound; he slowly regressed into his human self, his chest rising and falling sporadically as he attempted to take a few breaths. Blood stained his naked chest, and, under his skin, ugly grey lines spread out like spider webs. And then, with one last shaky breath, Sirius's entire body went slack.

Gabriel glared at Sirius's pack…or, at least those who remained alive. They stared at their fallen leader in shocked sadness, and those who caught Gabriel's silver-blue gaze bowed their heads in fear. He expected one among them- particularly Edward- to come forward and perhaps fight in Sirius's place, but no one did. Instead, they all backed away in fear, eventually turning and retreating into the woods, leaving Gabriel, Alexsei, Gabrielle, an unconscious Carl, and an unconscious and badly-injured Catherine alone in the clearing.

"You both fought well," Gabriel said to Alexsei and Gabrielle.

"We _all _fought well," Gabrielle said, sitting down on a rock and fingering a gash across her forehead.

Gabriel went to nod, but the strangest sensation overcame him. He was losing strength and energy rapidly…he felt as though he was slowly being pulled back from underwater. And the pain…he was becoming painfully aware of just how many injuries he had sustained in battle. His white wings retracted painfully into his back, and his eyes faded back to a brownish shade of hazel…he was once more Van Helsing, the man.

Van Helsing fell to his knees, his face contorted in agony. The pain had increased tenfold during his regression, leaving him in agony from the injuries he had sustained during battle. Each breath was searing agony in his chest…blood oozed from various gashes to pool on the ground beneath him.

_Dear God…_he thought. _Make the pain stop…let me die…anything to make it stop…_

Darkness began to cloud the corners of his mind, slowly overtaking him. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he collapsed on the forest floor, right at Gabrielle and Alexsei's feet.

* * *

_Oh...that's not good...(begins fanning Van Helsing with writing folder)_

Alexsei: Yeah...and Catherine...

_(looks at Catherine's back) Oh...my God...and I only just started First-Aid classes...um, I think there's some band-aids upstairs, they might help..._

Gabrielle_: (looks up from box of band-aids_) Huh? Oh, you mean these? I thought these were some of those weird scrapbooking supplies you keep around...

_No, Gabrielle, I don't use band-aids in my scrapbook. I barely even work on my scrapbook, remember?_

Alexsei: Oh, yeah...anyways, that was a hell of a battle...

_I'll say! You guys did great, by the way!_

Gabrielle: Great_? Great_? Aurora, we did better than great! We kicked ass and you know it!

_(nods) Yeah...but could you watch the language, Gabrielle? I'm trying to keep it family-friendly here...sort of..._

Gabrielle: Whatever...

Alexsei: Um...didn't you say you had something for the readers..?

_What? Oh, yeah, I did! Um...no contest again-I'll probably have one of those next chapter-but I have another song! I can actually see this playing during the big battle...it's partially because of the music and beat of the song, but the words tie in, too...it's **called "End of All Hope**" **by Nightwish **(this band pwns! I love them!) As always, you don't have to agree with me, but I think it goes pretty well. Lyrics below! Enjoy!_

It is the end of all hope  
To lose the child, the faith  
To end all the innocence  
To be someone like me  
This is the birth of all hope  
To have what I once had  
This life unforgiven  
It will end with a birth

No will to wake for this morn  
To see another black rose born  
Deathbed is slowly covered with snow

Angels, they fell first but I'm still here  
Alone as they are drawing near  
In heaven my masterpiece will finally be sung

It is the end of all hope  
To lose the child, the faith  
To end all the innocence  
To be someone like me  
This is the birth of all hope  
To have what I once had  
This life unforgiven  
It will end with a birth

Wounded is the deer that leaps highest  
And my wound it cuts so deep  
Turn off the light and let me pull the plug

It is the end of all hope  
To lose the child, the faith  
To end all the innocence  
To be someone like me  
This is the birth of all hope  
To have what I once had  
This life unforgiven  
It will end with a birth

Mandylion without a face  
Deathwish without a prayer  
End of hope  
End of love  
End of time  
The rest is silence


	24. Rise Like a Phoenix

_**A/N: **Hello again, everyone! Well, after only-what was it, four days?-I have another chapter up! Needless to say, I was bored at school(as always). Lots of thanks to **SpeedDemon315, musiclover209, **and my newest reviewer, **sanya12 **for their reviews! I'm glad you guys liked it!_

_PS: The chapter title was inspired by **Tarja Turunen's "My Little Phoenix". **That song is really great, I highly recommend it!_

_**Disclaimer: **I still don't own Van Helsing. I'm just playing here...

* * *

_Chapter Twenty-Four: Rise Like a Phoenix

Gabrielle knelt by the side of the bed, a wet rag clutched in her hand. She sighed as she looked down at Van Helsing's unconscious, injured form. It had been three days, and he hadn't so much as stirred once. His wounds hadn't even begun to heal…some of the worst gashes, such as the ones on his chest, had actually been bleeding periodically.

She then looked across the room, where Catherine's unconscious form was laying face-down on the room's other small bed. She was in no better shape than her brother, she, too, had not stirred since being knocked unconscious. Alexsei sat on the very edge of her bed, dabbing at her lacerated back with a wet cloth. Carl-who had recovered from being knocked out in practically no time- sat at the desk, flipping through books of scientific and medical nature, seeing if there was anything he could do about Van Helsing and Catherine's open, unhealing wounds.

She sighed again, then turned and began to gently dab at a gash on his chest. As she did, she couldn't help but to let her gaze linger on his naked chest.

_He's so handsome… _she thought. _But it's more than that. He's heroic… he's strong…he cares about his family, too. I can tell because he's so protective of Catherine. It's no wonder Anna fell for him…_

Gabrielle gently brushed her hand over his hand, brushing away his long, dark hair to examine the scratches on his face and neck for infection. His skin was hot to the touch, almost feverish…she quickly grabbed another rag from the basin on the floor and gently laid it over his feverish brow.

_Please, God, let Van Helsing live… _she thought, praying-_really _praying-for the first time in seventeen years. _For everyone's sake…for my sake…_

---

_Everywhere Van Helsing looked, he could see nothing but whiteness. The air around him was neither hot nor cold…he felt no pain, despite the injuries he knew he had, the ones that had left him hovering somewhere between life and death. He looked around, searching for someone who could tell him where he was, and what was going on. But he was all alone…_

Heaven…_his mind supplied. _I'm dead. I have to be. There's no other logical explanation…

_"You're not dead," someone said from behind him. It was the voice of a man…he wasn't alone. Van Helsing turned around and found a white-robed man walking towards him. He was a fit man in his prime, with shoulder-length black hair, clean-shaven olive skin, and vast white wings. His brown eyes were warm and friendly as he looked upon the hunter._

_"Who are you?" Van Helsing asked._

_The man gave a chuckle. "Come, Gabriel, surely you recognize me. We were always close, you and I…"_

_A spark of recognition flickered in Van Helsing's brain. "Michael?"_

_He nodded, then took Van Helsing's hand in a firm-yet brotherly-handshake. "So good to see you again, Gabriel."_

_"Gabriel? Is that you?" another voice called. This one sounded a little younger; suddenly, a young, white-winged man with vivid red hair came hurrying towards Van Helsing, embracing him tightly. _

_"Gabriel! You have returned!" he cried. "It is a miracle!"_

_Michael chuckled as he gently pulled the young man off of the hunter. "Now, now, be gentle, Raphael. You've probably scared him, now…"_

_Raphael blushed, his face turning the color of his hair. "Apologies, Michael. Apologies, Gabriel. It is simply…I always miss Gabriel during the years he's residing on Earth…"_

_Van Helsing nodded in understanding. "It's all right. But…why am I here? You say I'm not dead, and yet, I'm here amongst the angels."_

_"There's someone who wishes to speak with you," Michael explained. "Normally, we do not allow those amongst the angels to communicate directly with t__hose still on Earth, but due to, ah…'extenuating circumstances', we are allowing it…"_

_"Gabriel? Van Helsing?" a soft, beautiful woman's voice called from behind him. Van Helsing turned, and he saw the most beautiful sight he had ever seen behind him._

_There stood none other than Anna, smiling radiantly at him. She was clothed in a pristine white robe that matched the wings that spread out from behind her back. Her dark, curly hair framed her face like a dark halo, and she seemed to glow with an ethereal light.__ She approached Van Helsing, seemingly gliding towards him. Michael and Raphael stepped away respectfully, giving him and Anna some privacy._

_Anna embraced him, and he caught that scent again, the one he always smelled on Gabrielle. He embraced her back, holding her close as if she would vanish at any moment._

_"Anna…I can't believe it's you," he whispered into her thick, dark hair._

_"Yes, Van Helsing, it's me," she whispered back._

_"Anna…I'm so sorry…about what happened the night Dracula died," Van Helsing said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I never meant to…I didn't realize what I had done until it was too late…"_

_She silenced him by placing a finger to his lips. Her brown eyes were kind as she looked at him. "I do not blame you for what happened. It was not your fault. I knew you would never harm me intentionally…"_

_They stood, twined in each other's embrace for several long, silent moments. Anna looked up at him once more._

_"I wanted to speak with you."_

_"Michael said someone wished to speak with me," he said. "What is it you wish to speak about?"_

_Anna sighed, then pointed to a nearby gap in the whiteness. There was an image there…a moving picture, almost. He could see Gabrielle kneeling beside a bed, a bed upon which his unconscious form lay. She was dabbing gently at his wounds with one hand, while her other hand held one of his own hands, __gently stroking it. Red smears-evidence of tears she'd cried-covered her pale cheeks._

_The sight warmed the hunter's heart. _Gabrielle's caring for me? She's watching over me, shedding tears for me?

_"She loves you," Anna said softly. Van Helsing turned his head to look at her, and found her absorbed in watching her older sister. "She loves you as I loved you, Van Helsing…"_

_His face flushed slightly. He couldn't believe it, but he had heard it from Anna: Gabrielle loved him._

_"I…I love her too…" he admitted softly._

_"And yet, you have not told her."_

_He bowed his head, slightly ashamed. "I know. But…I feel as if I'm almost dishonoring your memory, Anna…falling in love with another woman-with your sister, of all women-so soon after your passing…"_

_He felt a hand take his. He looked over and saw Anna holding his hand. "Van Helsing, my passing did not condemn you to a loveless life. You're not dishonoring my memory, not in the least. I want what's best for you, Van Helsing. I don't want you to be unhappy." She sighed heavily. "Gabrielle…she deserves your love. She hasn't known love in a long time. She's forgotten what it's like to be cared about by someone. Tell her how you feel. Let her know someone does care…"_

_He nodded resolutely. "I will."_

_Michael and Raphael returned then; Michael placed a hand on Van Helsing's shoulder. "The time has come, Gabriel. You must return now, to where you belong…"_

_Gradually, the whiteness around him began to dim into darkness. He could hear Michael and Raphael calling parting words to him, and, right before everything faded to complete blackness, he heard Anna's voice one last time._

_"I'll be watching over you…Gabriel…"_

_---_

Gabrielle perched gingerly on the edge of Van Helsing's bed. It had been four more days-a week to the day after the battle-and the hunter was still unresponsive. Catherine had finally come around yesterday and seemed to be fine-with the exception of the tremendous pain from the lacerations on her back. They were healing over, though, slowly but surely. Currently, she and Alexsei were curled up on her bed, sound asleep, with her safely wrapped in Alexsei's strong arms. As for Carl…God only knew where he was.

Carefully, Gabrielle unwrapped the bandages around the hunter's chest. To her amazement, the gashes beneath were mostly healed, no more than minor gashes now-though the healed skin bore wicked-looking scars now. She placed the back of her hand on an exposed patch of skin…still a bit warm, but not quite to febrile anymore.

"Thank God for small favors…" she murmured as she began to replace the bandages.

The room was so quiet…in fact, it was _too_ quiet. Gabrielle enjoyed a little silent peace, this was true, but only when she was asleep. When she was awake, she found dead silences to be eerie.

She softly began to hum a tune, then, quietly enough not to rouse Catherine or Alexsei, she began to sing:

_Baptized with a perfect name  
__The doubting one by heart  
__Alone without himself  
__War between him and the day  
__Need someone to blame  
__In the end little he can do alone_

_You believe, but what you see?  
__You receive, but what you get?_

_Caress the one, the never-fading  
__Rain in your heart  
__The tears of snow-white sorrow  
__Caress the one, the hiding amaranth  
__In a land of the daybreak_

She closed her eyes, losing herself in the passion of singing. She finished re-bandaging the hunter's chest, and she gently began combing his messy hair with her fingers. Unbeknownst to her, Van Helsing stirred slightly…

_Apart from the wandering pack  
__In this brief flight of time  
__We reach for the ones who ever dare_

_You believe, but what you see?  
__You receive, but what you give?_

_Caress the one, the never-fading  
__Rain in your heart  
__The tears of snow-white sorrow  
__Caress the one, the hiding amaranth  
__In a land of the daybreak_

Across the room, Catherine and Alexsei stirred, both opening their eyes at the sound of Gabrielle's voice. Neither had ever heard her sing before, and they were surprised at how good she was. Van Helsing stirred again, moving his head slightly and opening his eyes a little…

_Reaching, searching, for something untouched  
__Hearing voices of the never-fading calling_

_Caress the one, the never-fading  
__Rain in your heart  
__The tears of snow-white sorrow  
__Caress the one, the hiding amaranth  
__In a land of the daybreak  
__Daybreak!_

She finished her song and opened her eyes once again. Alexsei and Catherine were staring at her in surprise, and, to her amazement, Van Helsing was awake and looking up at her.

"Van Helsing?" she asked softly.

"You know, you have a lovely voice. It's certainly nice to wake up it…" he murmured, smiling softly at her.

"Gabriel?" Catherine said. She shifted in her husband's arms, clearly wanting to see her brother. "You're awake! Are you all right?"

"I'm…fine…I'm glad you're awake, Catherine," he said, moving to sit up.

Gabrielle gently but firmly placed a hand on his chest. "No…your wounds are still healing. You need to stay still."

He nodded. "All right. Gabrielle…can I speak with you for a minute? Alone?"

She nodded. Behind her, Alexsei stood up, cradling Catherine in his arms like a father holding his child. He carried her through the door, and Gabrielle closed it behind them before returning to her spot on the edge of Van Helsing's bed.

"I'm glad you've awoken," she said softly, not meeting his gaze. "I…I was quite worried…"

He shifted slightly so he could see her a little better. "Gabrielle…this may sound hard to believe, but…while I was unconscious…I went to Heaven…"

She raised her eyebrows, but she didn't speak; he continued, "I spoke with Anna…she showed me how you were watching over me, taking care of me…And we spoke…Gabrielle, why is it you believe that no one cares about you?"

She stiffened at his words. "Anna told you that, huh? I guess angels _do _know everything…" She laughed a little, then, she sobered and gave a sigh. "I don't know…it's just that I've been alone so long…my sire abandoned me…I never saw my family after I ran away…I guess I thought that no one cared about a damned creature like me anymore…"

"But people _do _care about you," he said. "Carl cares about you-even if you two don't always get along. Alexsei cares about you, as does Catherine. And I…I care about you…"

Gabrielle glanced over at him. The room was silent for a minute…they looked into each other's eyes and saw the same thing: love.

After a few minutes, Van Helsing broke the silence. "By the way…what's an amaranth?"

"It's a flower," Gabrielle said softly. "A purple-and-red flower of myths…one that supposedly never withers…"

They fell silent again. Van Helsing shifted again, pushing himself up into a sitting position, leaning against the bed's headboard. Gabrielle shifted also, moving until she was at the hunter's side. She let her head rest on his shoulder; he slipped one arm around her waist and the other around her stomach, holding her in his embrace.

"Remember that song I sang back at your family's manor?" she whispered. "I was singing it for you…"

A small smile crept over his face. "Somehow, I think I always knew that…"

* * *

_Awwww!!! (squees) They finally admitted they love each other!_

Van Helsing: Actually, Aurora, we technically said "we _care _about each other". We never really said that we _love _each other.

Catherine: Yes you did. You told Anna you loved Gabrielle. Anna told you Gabrielle loved you. So you did say you loved each other.

Gabrielle/Van Helsing: _(blushes)_

Alexsei: Pwned...

_Guys, we're not making fun of you. I think it's so sweet you two FINALLY admitted you love each other!_

Catherine: I'm with Aurora. I think it's sweet!

Alexsei: _(snickers)_

Everyone: _(gives death glare)_

Alexsei: Heh heh...um, didn't you have something for the readers..?

_Yes, I did: A contest. This time, I'm looking for the answer to this question**: What's the name of the song Gabrielle was singing, and who sings it?**__First person to give the correct answer will get a chapter dedication and a picture of one of the Night Warriors characters-either Van Helsing, Catherine, Carl, Alexsei, or Gabrielle- as a chibi! Good luck! Thanks for reading, and please review!_


	25. Gypsy Coronation

_**A/N: **Hey everyone, and welcome to the final installment of Night Warriors-yes, the final installment! I'd like to say thanks to **sanya12, Kairi's-twin, musiclover209, **and **SpeedDemon315 **for their reviews! And I have the answer to the contest from last chapter- **Gabrielle was singing "Amaranth" by Nightwish**(from their Dark Passion Play album) so congratulations to **SpeedDemon315 **for winning!_

_**Disclaimer: **Twenty-five chapters later...I still don't own it..._

_

* * *

_

**_This chapter is dedicated to SpeedDemon315, my contest winner. Congratulations!

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty-Five: Gypsy Coronation

_Vatican City, Rome_

A young friar by the name of Nicholae hurried through the ancient halls of St. Peter's Basilica. A small piece of paper-a telegram-was clutched in his hands, which were trembling visibly. He stopped before the door to Cardinal Jinette's office and knocked with a trembling hand.

"You may come in," Jinette said calmly from behind the door. Nicholae sighed, crossed himself, then stepped into the Cardinal's office.

Jinette sat behind his desk, looking cool and collected as always. He stared imperiously at the young man cowering before him. "Yes?"

"I…I have a t-telegram f-for you, Y-Your Eminence…" he said, his voice barely rising above a whisper. "I-It is from Bucharest…from V-Van Helsing…"

Jinette's eyebrows rose in interest. "Ah…this means he must have defeated Sirius. Does he say when he plans on leaving Transylvania? I have some rather important assignments I wish to send him on…"

Nicholae didn't say anything; he stepped forward and placed the telegram on Jinette's desk. The cardinal took the telegram and read it. His face darkened the longer he looked at the telegram. After a minute, his angered face turned absolutely livid with rage as he slammed the telegram down.

"_WHAT?!"_

_---_

_Castle Frankenstein, two days earlier_

Gabrielle stood before the old vanity in one of the empty bedrooms of Castle Frankenstein. She looked in the cracked, dirty mirror-even though it didn't reflect her- and clutched the edge of the vanity as Catherine laced her into a stiff whalebone corset.

It had been three weeks since Sirius's defeat. Since then, Gabrielle had decided to accept her position as Queen of the Gypsies. She had returned to Vaseria to announce her decision; today was the day of her coronation. Ordinarily, coronations were held in churches, but due to Gabrielle's _condition_, they instead relocated it to the grand ballroom of Castle Frankenstein.

Catherine gave Gabrielle's laces one final tug. "There. That should do it."

"Thank God I don't need to breathe," Gabrielle commented. "Otherwise, I'd say this was entirely too tight, Catherine."

Catherine smirked as she handed Gabrielle her dress. It was a beautiful burgundy dress, sleeveless despite the cooling air. The bodice had been tailored to Gabrielle's exact measurements, while the floor-length skirt billowed out gracefully. Catherine wore a similar gown, though hers was a deep blue that matched her eyes.

"Here you go, Your Highness," Catherine chuckled, gently teasing her friend. "Careful with it now…don't rip it…"

Gabrielle snickered good-naturedly as she took the dress and slipped it over her head. Her smile quickly faded, though, and her face became more somber.

"Something wrong?" Catherine asked as she began lacing up the back of Gabrielle's dress.

Gabrielle sighed. "Sort of…I'm a little bit nervous…"

"Nervous?" Catherine asked. "About your coronation, you mean? You shouldn't be worried, Gabrielle. You'll do fine, and Gabriel, Carl, Alexsei, and myself will be seated up front, right where you can see us. We'll be praying for you, Gabrielle…"

"It's not really the coronation I'm worried about, though…" Gabrielle cut in. "It's…something else…"

---

The grand ballroom of Castle Frankenstein was packed with Vaseria's citizens, as well as people from neighboring towns that were under the control of the Valerious family-Strenotia included. Originally, the ballroom had been dusty, full of cobwebs, and mice- and spider-infested, having not been used in God only knew how long, but in the space of a few days, the ballroom had been cleaned and set up for a coronation.

Van Helsing pulled restlessly at the collar of his dressy jacket. He was unaccustomed the sheer number of people around him, and he was also unaccustomed to the suit he had been forced to wear. The black pants, black shirt, and black military-style jacket he wore over the shirt seemed tight and confining, plus they were a little too close to Dracula's clothes for his comfort…

Carl hurried forward to the stage meant for the orchestra, where an unused conductor's podium had been placed.

"Um, excuse me, everyone, if I may have your attention..?" he called. "The ceremony is about to begin…"

All the villagers quickly scrambled for their seats, sitting on the rough wooden benches that had been brought in, or else standing in the back. Van Helsing, Alexsei, and Carl took their seats up in the front; the room fell silent, and, a moment later, the doors in the back opened, and everyone stood to their feet as their princess entered. Upon seeing Gabrielle, Van Helsing's breath caught in his throat.

She was absolutely beautiful. Her burgundy gown was perfect for her skin tone and hair color, and clung in all the right places. A black choker encircled her slim, pale throat. Her raven hair had been swept up off her back and shoulders in an elegant bun, with a few strands framing her face. She walked gracefully, seemingly floating, all the way up to the podium. Catherine, who had been behind her, discretely slipped into a seat between her brother and her husband.

Gabrielle cleared her throat nervously. "Ah, hello…so glad you all are here today." She paused for a minute, then continued. "I'm…not very good with making speeches, but as a speech is necessary, I shall simply do the best I can…

"I know everyone here is acquainted with my family and the…_misfortunes_…we have suffered for about the past two decades. How, seventeen years ago, I, Princess Gabrielle, was kidnapped and presumed dead. How, after eight years of going mad and wasting away from grief, my mother, Queen Lilly, died a slow, agonizing death. How, nearly two years ago, my father, King Boris, went missing while hunting Dracula. How, last year, my beloved brother, Prince Velkan, was killed, trying to accomplish where so many of the Valerious line had failed…and how my dear sister, Princess Anna, died succeeding where none of our family had…"

She stopped for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a breath so as not to burst into tears. She opened her eyes a moment later, having gained her composure, and continued. "And yet, despite my alleged death, I stand before you all, alive, well, and barely any older than I was when I was taken. I know you all wonder how this was possible, and I shall tell you…though I beg you not to scream or flee in terror. You are my people, and you must know that I would never hurt you…"

Many in the room exchanged confused looks, but they continued to watch Gabrielle with bated breath, waiting to see what would happen, what she was talking about…

Gabrielle's eyes faded to an icy blue, and everyone gasped as she crossed the stage, approached a pillar, and actually began walking up the face of the pillar, continuing to defy gravity in this fashion until she was halfway across the high ceiling, standing directly above where she had been standing. After a moment, she left go of the ceiling, plummeting rapidly towards the floor. Several people screamed, but, with lightning-fast speed, Gabrielle turned in midair, landing on her feet before the podium.

In the crowd, a peasant stood to his feet, pointing an accusatory finger at Gabrielle. "_Vampire!!_"

Gabrielle nodded. "Yes. I will not deny it…I am a vampire. But-"

Her next few words were drowned out, however, as the voices of the peasants rose. Many of them loudly protested a vampire taking the throne. Others began whispering in shock and fear, spreading rumors of Gabrielle's parents trading her to Dracula, or Gabrielle selling herself as one of Dracula's concubines. Quite a few young children began to cry in fear, and their mothers took them in their arms to comfort them.

Frustration began to simmer within Van Helsing. He realized that the situation was fast getting out of hand. He watched Gabrielle look around in fear and confusion, taking a step back nervously. It seemed that it would only be a matter of time before the peasants brought out crosses and stakes to use against their princess…

Just as Van Helsing was about to take Gabrielle's place at the podium and give the rabble a good tongue-lashing, Catherine stood to her feet, lifted her skirts slightly so as not to trip on them, and angrily approached the podium. Her blue irises took on a blackish tinge.

"Listen to me!" she said angrily. Her voice barely carried over the ruckus. "I said listen! Good Lord, would you all _SHUT YOUR GODFORSAKEN MOUTHS AND LISTEN TO ME?!!_"

The crowd silenced immediately, and Catherine took a breath. "Thank you! Now, yes, your princess is a vampire. But did you not hear her when she said she would never harm you? I've known Gabrielle for seven years now…do you know the number of times she could have attempted to take my life? The number of times is innumerable. But do you know the times she's _actually _attempted to take my life? None! Gabrielle is _nothing _like Dracula. _Nothing _like his three harpies. And _nothing _like the countless other bloodthirsty vampires out there. She respects humanity, and she can restrain her lust for blood. She only wants what's best for you, her people. And what's best for you is to let her take her take the throne as Queen of the Gypsies. What say you?!"

After the briefest moment of silence, Van Helsing stood to his feet. "Long live Queen Gabrielle!"

Alexsei and Carl both got to their feet, and, along with Catherine, they took up the hunter's cry. "Long live Queen Gabrielle!"

Gradually, the peasants in the room took up the cry as well, and they stood to their feet, until the entire populace was on their feet, their cry deafening. Catherine took that opportunity to demurely return to her seat, and, as the crowd's cheers died down, a cardinal from the local Catholic church stepped forward, holding a small but ornate crown in his hands. Before everyone's eyes, Gabrielle knelt, and the cardinal spoke a small rite aloud in Latin, placing the crown atop Gabrielle's head. When he finished, she stood to her feet and took the podium again, no longer the Gypsies' princess, but now their queen.

She dabbed gently at her eyes, wiping away the blood tears forming there. "Thank you, everyone…Thank you for accepting me for what I am…and for having me as your queen…" She stopped, thinking her words through before continuing. "I'm prepared to lead us through whatever may happen next, good or not…But I cannot do it alone…After all, even the most independent of us all need someone by our side…"

Her gaze fell on Van Helsing as she spoke. He could instantly feel his heart beating faster, sending his blood rushing through his veins. Did she mean what he thought she meant..?

She stepped down from the podium, heading towards the hunter. He stood to his feet, but, overcome by a sudden moment of shyness, he found himself unable to move forward. He felt a pair of hands on his lower back, and Catherine gave him a gentle shove forward, which sent him stumbling klutzily in Gabrielle's direction.

As soon as they were close-less than a hand's breadth apart- she took one of his hands in both of her own. Instead of looking up at him, however, she kept her head shyly bowed, staring at their hands instead.

"Van Helsing…" she said softly. "I never quite knew how to say this, but I…I loved you ever since the first time I saw you, that night in the Valerious family crypt. You…you gave me strength when I needed it. You gave me the courage to fight against Sirius…and you gave me the courage to take the throne and tell my people what I truly was. And I want you to be the one to give me the courage to lead my people…will you do that? Will you become my king?"

There was silence for a moment, then, Van Helsing gently lifted Gabrielle's chin so he could look into her eyes. He smiled gently at her.

"It would be my honor," he whispered to her. "But first…"

And with that, he pulled her close, so that her smaller, lithe frame was pressed against his body. One of his hands snaked around her waist, coming to rest in the small of her back, and he did what he'd been dying to do for a while now:

He kissed her.

He kissed her long and hard, right in front of her subjects. But neither of them noticed everyone else in the ballroom. They were too lost in each other; their lips parted to deepen the kiss, their tongues gently caressed. It was as passionate a kiss as the one Van Helsing and Anna had shared, but this one was slower, not nearly as fierce and hurried.

Finally, after a moment, they broke apart from the kiss. Gabrielle took his hand again, beaming at him, and she led him back towards the podium, where the cardinal was waiting. Van Helsing kneeled before the cardinal, who spoke the same Latin rite he had spoken to coronate Gabrielle, while she stood nearby, beaming like a proud mother. When the rite was finished, Van Helsing stood again, took Gabrielle's hand, and they walked to the edge of the stage as the people clapped and cheered, Alexsei, Catherine, and Carl the loudest amongst them.

No longer was he simply Gabriel William Van Helsing, incarnation of God's Left Hand, holy assassin of all things wicked. Now, he was Gabriel William Van Helsing, incarnation of God's Left Hand, holy assassin of all things wicked-and King of the Gypsies.

* * *

_Wow! Congratulations, Van Helsing! That's...wow..._

Van Helsing: I know. Hmm..._(ponders) _Gabriel William Van Helsing, King of the Gypsies...has such a lovely ring to it, doesn't it?

Gabrielle: I think so. But so does Gabrielle Alexandra Valerious, Queen of the Gypsies.

Catherine: Yeah, I agree. They both sound pretty awesome!

Alexsei: So...that's really it?

_Yes. Well...not quite. See, I wanted to do something special for the last chapter. So...(imitates Dracula) Ladies and gentlemen...I give to you...SPECIAL FEATURES!!!_

_

* * *

_

_**Special Feature 1: Night Warriors-The Trailer**_

_(Open with Van Helsing's dream of meeting Catherine in forest. Clip quickly cuts to Van Helsing waking up before he even reaches her.)_

Van Helsing(VoiceOver): She looks so familiar...(_Quick flash of Catherine's face; a shot of her turning her head to the camera)_

Van Helsing (VO): She can't be...real?

_(Scene changes to Van Helsing and Catherine's introduction at the Vatican)_

Cardinal Jinette: Van Helsing, I'd like you to meet your new partner.

Van Helsing: There must be some mistake, Your Eminence. I work alone

_(Camera flashes to Universal logo. "**Transylvanian Horses**" plays)_

_Narrator: He thinks he has no past..._

_(Universal logo is replaced by clip of Van Helsing embracing a crying Catherine)_

Van Helsing: I'm so sorry, Catherine. I wish I could remember...but I can't...

_Narrator: But his past would beg to differ..._

_(Clip: Van Hesing, Carl, Catherine, Alexsei, and Gabrielle all in Van Helsing family library, gathered around a table. There is a book in the center, and the camera pans over the text in the book, stopping on the names Sirius and Gabriel)_

Carl: Well, isn't that a funny coincidence? That he had a brother who had the same first name as Van Helsing..?

Catherine: Coincidence? I beg to differ, Carl. There's a fine line between coincidence and fate.

_Narrator: Now, he must return to Transylvania...to fight an evil that's closer than he thinks..._

_(Clip: Three werewolves and a vampire come out of bushes and surround Van Helsing, Catherine, Carl, and Alexsei. Music: **"Stand My Ground"-Within Temptation**)_

Music:_ Stand my ground, I won't give in-_

_(Clip: Flashback-Van Helsing and Catherine fight two men with knives, daggers, and swords)_

Music:_ No more denying, I've got to face it-_

_(Clip: Van Helsing is fighting Sirius. His eyes are silver-blue, he has huge white wings protruding from his back, and he almost seems to be glowing)_

Music: _Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside-_

_(Clip: A pair of enomous, black wings emerge from Catherine's back. She looks back at Van Helsing and Carl; her eyes are now pitch-black)_

Music:_ If I don't make it, someone else will stand my ground._

_(Clip: Group shot-Van Helsing, Catherine, Carl, Alexsei, and Gabrielle stop before Sirius's manor)_

Alexsei: This is the place.

(_Screen goes black. Music swiches to "**Intro**" by **Within Temptation**)_

_Narrator: This year...the truth...will surface..._

_(Clip: Catherine, Van Helsing, and Carl are in their room at the Vampyre Inn)_

Catherine: I never said you were a mortal, Gabriel...and that's because you're not...

_Narrator: Hugh Jackman_

_(Clip: Van Helsing grabs his crossbow and fires a stream of arrows at a vampire)_

_Narator: Amy Acker_

_(Clip: Catherine stands before Alexsei and punches a vampire in the face. Her eyes slowly turn from blue to black)_

_Narrator: Johnny Depp_

_(Clip: Alexsei leaps forward, becoming a werewolf as he does)_

_Narrator: And introducing Amy Lee..._

_(Clip: Gabrielle draws her revolver from a holster on her hip. Screen fades to black, then shot of everyone, with Van Helsing in the front, Gabrielle and Carl on his left, and Catherine and Alexsei on his right)_

_Narrator: Night Warriors_

_(Screen fades to black)_

_Narrator: Evil...is closer than you think..._

_(Clip: Quick flash of Sirius-as a werewolf-roaring at the camera. Then, screen goes black again)_

_

* * *

_

**_Special Features 2: Night Warriors Theme Song_**

_Stand My Ground-Within Temptation _

I can see  
When you stay low nothing happens  
Does it feel right?

Late at night  
Things I thought I put behind me  
Haunt my mind

I just know there's no escape  
Now once it sets its eyes on you  
But I won't run,  
Have to stare it in the eye

_[Chorus:  
_Stand my ground, I won't give in  
No more denying, I've got to face it  
Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
If I don't make it, someone else will  
Stand my ground

It's all around  
Getting stronger, coming closer  
Into my world

I can feel  
That it's time for me to face it  
Can I take it?

Though this might just be the ending  
Of the life I held so dear  
But I won't run,  
There's no turning back from here

_[Chorus_

All I know for sure is I'm trying  
I will always stand my ground

Stand my ground, I won't give in (I won't give in)  
I won't give up (I won't give up)  
No more denying, I got to face it  
Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
If I don't make it, someone else will

Stand my ground, I won't give in  
No more denying, I got to face it  
Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside  
If I don't make it, someone else will  
Stand my ground

* * *

**_Special Features 3: Extended Author's Notes_**

Van Helsing: Hey...we're back!

_Indeed. Extended author's notes, by dear._

Catherine: Cool! _(looks around_) Ah...now what?

Gabrielle: Oh, Aurora, wasn't there something-?

_I was getting to that, Gabrielle. Now...yes, this is the end of **Night Warriors**-but the saga shall continue! Yes, everyone, I am writing a sequel! So, be on the lookout for **Intrusive Dusk-A Van Helsing Fanfic**, coming soon! Also, be on the lookout for a Night Warriors companion, **Kindred Spirits**, which will be coming VERY soon!_

Alexsei: _(blushes) _Oh, come on..do you HAVE to post that one?

_Oh, come on, Alexsei. It's sweet...besides, I never really went into the story on how-(gets mouth covered by Catherine's hand) _

Catherine: Not. Another. Word. Got it?

_(nods and gets mouth released) All right...now, I also have a contest! This one has a big prize, too...the usual chapter dedication, yes, but also a chance to submit a character to be featured in** Intrusive Dusk**! Here it is:_

_**I never realized it when I was writing this, but two characters in Night Warriors are named after people famous in Russian history! So, for the prize, tell me which two characters share names with famous Russian historical figures, and which historial figures are they named after?**_

Van Helsing: Oh, I know this one! It's-_(gets mouth covered by authoress's hand)_

_Ah, ah, ah, it's a CONTEST! Don't tell them!_

Van Helsing: Oh...right...sorry...

_All right, then. Good boy. Well, this is Aurora, and I think I speak for everyone when I say: THANKS FOR READING AND COME BACK SOON!!!_


End file.
